Abstract:
A foldable camping grill comprised of a foldable grill layout, at least three socket mounted support legs and a system of suspension braces that is independent of the support legs. When the grill layout is folded, one socket inserts into another socket to retain the layout in compact configuration for carrying.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     We hereby claim the benefit of my earlier filed provisional application (application No. 60/60/616,960) filed Oct. 8, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to the field of culinary devices, and more particularly to a novel foldable grill for camping purposes which includes a plurality of grill sections that are folded over upon each other to provide a compact storage configuration and deployable into a full grill layout in an operable position. A detachable fire bed is included.  
         [0004]     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     In the past, it has been the conventional practice to use a single grill over a fire bed area which is rigid and may be detachably connected to each other. The fire bed may take the form of a box-like structure having propane or alcohol fuel or may include the earth or rocks for supporting the rigid grill over a fire area.  
         [0006]     Difficulties and problems have been encountered with such prior grills in that the grills are single piece and are usually large and cumbersome to pack, store and transport. Such grills do not easily fit into backpacks or carrying cases because of the size and rigidity of the grill.  
         [0007]     Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a folding grill that may readily be deployed into an operative position for use over a fire bed and that may be folded into a compact configuration readily carryable in a backpack or the like. A portable fire bed may be included into the folding grill combination for convenience of packing and usage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present invention which provides a foldable grill apparatus having a plurality of grill sections which are hinged at strategic locations in order to permit the grill sections to be folded over upon themselves to provide a compact storage configuration. The hinge arrangement permits deployment of the grill sections into a side-by-side flat grill arrangement that is supported by adjustable legs for support over a fire bed. A portable fire bed plate may be included which is detachably connected to the supporting legs in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the unfolded grill sections. The unfolded grill sections may be supported in a frame by a variety of suitable means; however, notched members may be carried on the frame for receiving brace members carried on the underside of the respective folding grill sections.  
         [0009]     The grill is detachably supported on the braces and frame while the frame is supported by the support legs either over the fire bed, taking the form of the ground or rocks, or the detachable fire bed may be employed under the unfolded grill sections.  
         [0010]     Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel folding camping grill which includes a plurality of grill sections that are folded over upon one another into a storage condition or deployed by unfolding into an operative position suitable for cooking purposes.  
         [0011]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a folding grill that is detachably supported by a frame and support legs either over the ground or rocks as a fire bed or which may include a detachable fire bed under the deployed grill sections.  
         [0012]     Still a further object of the invention is to provide a foldable grill that may be unfolded from a storage position into an operative position that can be supported on rocks, adjustable support leg members or the like.  
         [0013]     A further object resides in providing a foldable camping grill for cooking purposes which is readily deployable from a storage position into an operative position that may be readily carried in a pack, case or the like for transport purposes. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood with reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the novel foldable camping grill incorporating the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIGS. 2-5  inclusive illustrate the foldability of the grill shown in  FIG. 1  from its deployed position back into a storage position;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary sectional view showing a typical hinge joining adjacent edge marginal regions of a pair of grill sections as taken in the direction of arrows  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary sectional view as taken in the direction of arrows  7 - 7  of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary sectional view as taken in the direction of arrows  8 - 8  of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a fragmentary sectional view of a corner of a deployed grill supported on a support leg as shown in  FIG. 1  taken in the direction of arrows  9 - 9 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a reduced side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the attachment of a fire bed to a supporting leg;  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is a side elevational view showing height adjustment for the foldable grill in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view of a portion of the attachment of adjacent leg supports shown in  FIG. 11  as taken in the direction of arrows  12 - 12  thereof;  
         [0024]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view illustrating the frame and braces incorporated into the foldable camping grill of the present invention; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a typical brace used in the configuration shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the novel folding camp grill  10  is illustrated in the general direction of numeral  9  and includes a plurality of grill sections identified by letters A, B, C and D. The grill sections are arranged in their deployed position so as to provide a flat grill surface of sufficient area on which cooking can take place. Each of the respective grill sections, such as Section A for example, includes a plurality of cross-bars  11  which have their opposite ends secured or fixed to a frame  12  by welding or other securement. Therefore, each of the respective grill sections are individual and complete with their respective cross-bars extending between the frame.  FIG. 1  also illustrates that the plurality of grill sections are joined by a plurality of hinges. For example, the adjacent sides of grill sections A and B are joined by a hinge  13 . Also, it can be seen that the adjacent frames of grill sections B and D are coupled together by hinge  14  while the adjacent frames of grill sections C and D are coupled by hinge  15 . A plurality of braces are extended beneath the grill sections for support purposes and it can be seen that numeral 19 is a brace extending under grill sections A and C and brace  18  extends under grill sections B and D. Brace  16  is extended beneath grill sections C and D and preferable in supporting relation under braces  18  and  19 . Brace  17  extends under the grill sections A and B and preferably in supporting relation under braces  18  and  19 . These braces  18  and  19  are perpendicular with respect to braces  16  and  17 .  
         [0027]     The opposite end of each brace is detachably supported in a bracket, such as bracket  20   a,  supporting one end of brace  19  while a bracket  20   b  supports the opposite end of the brace. The respective brackets are integral with or fixed to the frames  12  of each grill section and include a retainer  21  which is preferably U-shaped as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . The end of brace  16  fits into retainer  21   a  while the end of brace  19  detachably fits into the retainer  22  which is carried on the frame of grill section C.  
         [0028]      FIG. 1  further illustrates that the deployed grill sections are elevated above the ground by means of support legs  23 - 26  inclusive. The upper end of each support leg terminates in a socket  27 , such as shown in  FIG. 9 , which downwardly depends from the frame, such as frame of grill section C. The upper end of support leg  25  is inserted into the socket  27  as shown in  FIG. 9  with the understanding that the top end or distal end of each of the support legs is inserted into respective sockets with respect to the other grill sections.  
         [0029]     In  FIG. 1 , a fire bed  30  may be used by placing the fire bed in spaced relationship beneath the deployed grill sections so that portions of the edge marginal regions of the fire bed  30  can be inserted into slots, such as slot  31  in support leg  25 . Thus, the fire bed is maintained in fixed parallel spaced-apart relationship with respect to the underside of the deployed grill sections. Coals or other combustible materials can be placed on the fire bed to provide heat for cooking of foods on the top of the grill.  
         [0030]     Referring now in detail to  FIGS. 2-5  inclusive, the folding of the foldable grill  10  is illustrated in various steps of folding so that the grill assumes a compact storage condition. In  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that grill section A is pivoted on hinge  13  over grill section B along axis  6 . In  FIG. 3 , the combined grill sections A and B are pivoted on hinge  14  to the-underside of grill section D along axis  7 . In  FIG. 4 , grill section C is pivoted on hinge  15  over the top of grill section D along axis  8  to provide the compact arrangement, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The foldable grill is in position for storage in a bag, case, backpack or the like.  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows the pivoting of section A with respect to grill section B on pivot  13  while  FIG. 7  illustrates the pivoting of sections A and B to the underside of grill section D via hinge  14 . In  FIG. 8 , grill section C is pivoted on hinge  15  to the top of grill section D to complete the compact arrangement.  
         [0032]     In  FIG. 9 , the distal end of support leg  25  is inserted into the socket  27  so that the deployed grill can be supported on the ground or other supporting medium  
         [0033]     In  FIG. 10 , the edge of fire bed  30  is introduced to slot  31  in a leg, such as support leg  25 . Each corner of the fire bed is thus supported by a separate support leg.  
         [0034]     In  FIG. 11 , it can be seen that the height of the deployed grill may be elevated by including an extension  32  having one end carried on the distal end of support leg, such as support  25 , while the elevated end of extension  32  fits into the socket on the underside of the frame of the deployed fire bed. It is understood that each of the respective legs  23 - 26  inclusive may accommodate extensions for elevating the fire bed and/or the deployed grill.  
         [0035]     In  FIG. 12 , the joining of extension  32  with the distal end of a support leg, such as support leg  25 , is illustrated. It can be seen that the distal end is tapered so as to easily be inserted into either a socket, such as socket  27 , or into the end of extension, such as extension  32 .  
         [0036]     Referring now in detail to  FIG. 13 , it can be seen that the opposite ends of the braces, such as braces  16  and  19 , will fit into retainers  21   a  and  22  respectively. The opposite ends of the braces are fitted into similar retainers on the brackets as previously described.  
         [0037]      FIG. 14  illustrates a single brace, such as brace  16 , which includes a pair of segments  33  and  34  wherein the end of segment  34  is tapered so as to be easily inserted into an opening in the end of segment  33 . The segment  33  may take the form of a tube which is open-ended or may be a solid rod having an opening at one end to receive the tapered end  35  of segment  34 .  
         [0038]     In view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the deployed grill, shown in  FIG. 1 , may have the grill sections folded over upon themselves so as to assume the compact storage condition shown in  FIG. 5 . When ready for use, the grill may be readily deployed by reversing the unfolding of grill sections from that shown in  FIGS. 2-4 . Once fully deployed, the support legs may be installed into the respective sockets so that the grill is supported over a fire bed. The fire bed may be the ground or may even be rocks that will retain heat after a fire has been started. The fire bed may also take the form of the fire bed  30  which is inserted into slots in the respective legs so that both the deployed grill and the fire bed are supported by the legs. At this time, coals or other combustible materials are placed on the fire bed under the grill so that a cooking procedure can be commenced.  
         [0039]     The grill layout can be used by placing it over an in-ground or stationary fire pit or fire barrel at campsite without legs or a fire bed. This is facilitated by the braces with mount to the grill section frames and are independent of the legs. In this application, the grill layout serves a sanitary cooking surface.  
         [0040]     The foldable camping grill of the present invention has many advantages over the prior art. One of the advantages is stability. Another advantage is the degree compactness to which the foldable camping grill is foldable for storage and transport. Another advantage is the ease of assembly. Another advantage is its lightweight.