Abstract:
The apparatus is used in cooking foodstuff over an open flame by heat while keeping user a safe distance from fire with main elements being hand grip, shank, fork, and food transfer system. A hand grip and shank are made of materials including wood, injection mold plastics, and metal while a fork and food transfer system is constructed of metal materials. The food transfer system provides a hands-free safe and sanitary method to remove cooked foods from hot metal greatly reducing likelihood of injury and food contamination.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The invention comprises an apparatus for preparing, treating, or cooking substances (foods) intended to be eaten and/or drunk by human beings or animals for their nourishment. 
     Foodstuffs, safety and handling are priority issues for all consumption including open fire roasting. The practical aspect of an apparatus&#39;s length places the user a safe distance from the heat. The transfer from the prongs of the apparatus to a serving container solves concerns of foods being touched by individuals other than the person consuming the foods. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Invention enhances any food roasting experience by providing user with a durable, sturdy and safe-to-use contrivance utilizing materials that are designed to function near heat and fire. The apparatus&#39;s primary objective allows user to roast foodstuff a safe distance from heat and flame thus insuring sanitary hands-free removal of roasted food eliminating food contamination by direct handling. Device assures removing food to be free from further potential befoulment. 
    
    
     
         FIG. 1  depicts an embodiment of the Rearward Tine Roaster Side, Perspective View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Rearward Tine Roaster Right Side, Section View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Rearward Tine Roaster Top, Section View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Rearward Tine Roaster Front, Perspective View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 5  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Rearward Tine Roaster Top and Bottom, Plan View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 6  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Rearward Food Removal System, Exploded View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 7  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Rearward Food Removal Tine, Section View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 8  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward Tine Roaster Front, Perspective View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 9  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward Roaster Handle—Shaft, Exploded View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 10  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward Food Removal System, Exploded View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 11  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward Tine Roaster, Side View Perspective, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 12  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward Tine Roaster, Exploded Front View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 13  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward Tine Roaster, Left Rear, Perspective View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 14  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward Tine Food Removal, Section View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 15  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward Tine Roaster Top and Bottom, Plan View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 16  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward And Rearward Tine Roasters with Shaft, Plan View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 17  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Forward And Rearward Tine Plus Shaft with Copper Sleeve Food Removal System, Section View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 18  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Handle Side—Bottom, Plan View, according to the present application. 
         FIG. 19  depicts a section view of an embodiment of the Shaft Holes for Eyehooks with Copper Sleeve, Plan View, according to the present application. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Components of preferred embodiments of the rearward or forward fork roasting apparatuses include but are not limited to the following: 
     Hand grip  1 : located at uppermost end of apparatus; a contrivance to be grasped by the user. Shank  2 : a wooden, plastic or metal rod connecting hand grip  1  to fork  3 . Fork  3 : located at opposite end from hand grip  1 ; a metal fork consists of two prongs. Food transfer system  19 : a device designed to remove hot food in a safe and sanitary manner from the fork  3 . 
     The apparatus can vary in length. 
     The hand grip  1  is constructed of hardwoods, plastics, or metal The shank  2  is constructed of hardwoods or metal. 
     The hand grip  1  can vary in length. All hand grips  1  consist of the uppermost/topmost aspect of the hand grip  1  at apex; a hole  4  of sufficient size is drilled one inch from the apex. A piece of material (lanyard)  6 , a length of ten inches, is pulled through the hole  4  and tied into a knot. 
     A hole  6  is drilled into the bottom of the hand grip  1  toward the apex of the hand grip  1 . A copper sleeve  7  is pressed into the hole  6  in the lower end of said hand grip  1  until it seats at the bottom of the drilled hole  6 . 
     The shank  2  is made of hardwood dowel rods, appropriate plastics, or metal. The top of the shank  2  is inserted into the copper sleeve  7  and then inserted into hand grip  1  at the lower end of said hand grip  1  until it seats in bottom of the drilled hole  6  at lower end of the hand grip  1 . When seated into the copper sleeve  7 , the hand grip  1  and shank  2  are properly lined up to ensure that fork  3  will be properly positioned at lower end of the shank  2 . A groove  8  is cut into the hand grip  1  and lined up with food removal rod  21 , a component of the food transfer system. When all components are properly aligned a hole  9  is drilled one and a half inches up from the bottom of hand grip  1  horizontally through both the shank  2  and hand grip  1  at the same time creating a comparable hole  9 A in said shank  2  including the copper sleeve  7  and out the other side of hand grip  1 . This horizontal hole  9  permits a pull ring pin  10  feature of proper length and diameter to be inserted into the drilled hole  9  and pushed through the hand grip  1  through copper sleeve  7  into shank  2  and exiting out other side of hand grip  1 . 
     At the lowermost end of shank  2 , a hole  11  is drilled into said shank  2  toward the hand grip  1 . A copper sleeve  12  is pressed onto the outer diameter of shank  2  at the end where the drilled hole  11  is located. A function of the copper sleeve  12  is to strengthen the end of the shank  2  and to ensure the screw threads  13  of the fork  3  will not break when said fork  3  screw threads are fully threaded into the lower end of the shank  2 . Hardwood shanks  2  are coated with a fire resistant coating. The copper sleeve  12  adds further protection for the fork  3  end of the shank  2 . The fork  3  is forged of metals. 
     The rearward roasting fork apparatus embodies a rearward facing fork  3 , shank  2 , hand grip  1 , and food transfer system  19 . Said rearward fork roasting apparatus orients the position of the fork  3  such that the tapered points  14  of the two prongs  15 , face rearward toward the hand grip  1 . The fork  3  includes a metal rod  16  and is tapped with threads  13 . At the opposite end of metal rod  16 , said rod extends one inch beyond two prongs  15  and is terminal end  34  of said metal rod  16  and is welded to prongs  15 . Said metal rod  16  has four bends. At lowermost end of fork  3  said metal rod  16  bends upward 45° then bends backward 45° to the original orientation causing it to run parallel the total length of the prongs  15 . At this point the metal rod  16  bends downward 45° an equal distance as the first upward 45° bend, then bends a final time to a parallel orientation to the prongs  15  where it is then threaded into the shank  2 . One and a half inches before the terminal end of the prongs  15 , said prongs  15  are bent 45° downward where the ends of prongs  15  come to a tapered point  14 . Rearward roasting apparatus includes safety tip covers  39  for prongs  15 . 
     The food removal plate  20  on the food transfer system  19  glides along the prongs  15  of the fork  3  of the rearward fork roasting apparatus. The food transfer system  19  consists of the food removal plate  20 , food removal rod  21 , eye screws  22 , nut  23 , wing nut  24 , lock washer  25 , and said food removal rod  21  with trigger-like feature  33  end protector  26 . The food removal plate  20  is constructed of die-cut metal. At centermost point of the top edge of the food removal plate  20 , a notch  27  is punched out that permits said food removal plate  20  to glide both forward and backward along the metal rod  16  and is threaded into the lower end of the shank  2  where the upper copper sleeve  12  is pressed onto the end of said shank  2 . Punched into the lower edge of the food removal plate  20  are two notches  28  which allow the food removal plate  20  to glide both forward and backward along the two prongs  15  of fork  3 . Attached to the food removal plate  20 , a hole  29  is punched out next to the notch  27  on the upper edge of the food removal plate  20 . The food removal rod  21  with attached nut  23  on threaded rod portion  30  is inserted into hole  29  of the food removal plate  20 . A lock washer  25  and wing nut  24  secures said food removal rod onto the end of the food removal plate  20 . The food transfer system  19  also contains two threaded eye screws  22 . One is located at the lower end of the shank  2  and the other is located at the upper end of said shank  2 . Both eye screws  22  with tapered threads  32  are threaded into holes  31  which are drilled into said shank  2 . 
     In the hand grip  1  a groove  8  is cut vertically at a depth of one eighth inch stating at the bottom end of said hand grip  1  and ending towards the apex end of said hand grip  1 . The groove  8  provides a path for the food removal rod  21  to travel through. Both eye screws  22  and groove  8  in the hand grip  1  permit the food removal rod  21  to glide easily forward and backward. At the upper end of the food transfer system  19  the food removal rod  21  bends outward from the hand grip  1  away from said hand grip  1  providing a trigger-like  33  feature that the user can use to pull or push the food removal rod  21  backward or forward activating the food removal plate. 
     The forward roasting fork apparatus embodies a forward facing fork  3 , shank  2 , hand grip  1 , and a food transfer system  19 . Both hand grip  1  and shank  2  are held securely in place via a pull ring pin  10  inserted into the horizontally drilled hole  9 . 
     The forward fork roasting apparatus&#39;s fork  3  consists of a threaded metal rod  13  and prongs  38  such that said prongs  38  face forward away from user with tapered points  18  to be located at lowermost position from hand grip  1 . The threaded portion  13  is threaded into the shank  2 . The other end is welded to the prongs  38 . Forward roasting apparatus includes safety tip covers  3  for the prongs  33 . 
     The forward fork roasting apparatus&#39;s fork  3  is threaded into lower end of the shank  2  via a hole  11  drilled into the lower end of said shank  2 , such that the screw threads  13  are threaded into said hole  11 . Opposite end of screw thread  13  rod is welded to the forward facing prongs  38  at the middlemost point. The screw threads  13  are turned into the hole  11  into the shank  2 . 
     The forward fork roasting apparatus&#39;s fork  3  is equipped with the food transfer system  19  which includes food removal plate  35  component. Connected to said food removal plate  36  is the food removal rod  17  of sufficient length and thickness. At the food removal plate  35  a punched hole  36  of sufficient size to permit the food removal rod  17  is located at the centermost point of said food removal plate  35  one and a half inches from the bottom of the food removal plate  36 . The food removal rod  17  is threaded with machine threads  30  for a length of one inch onto said food metal rod&#39;s  17  lowest end where a nut  23  is then turned onto the threads until it seats at the end of the threads. The food removal rod  17  is inserted through the punched hole  36  located and centered toward the lower portion of the food removal plate  35 . A lock washer  25  is then placed on the threaded end after which a wing nut  24  of the appropriate size is then turned onto the threaded end of the food removal rod  17  now positioned through the punched hole  36  in the food removal plate  35  securing said plate  35  in proper position. The wing nut  24  is then hand-tightened until seated against the lock washer  25  on the surface of the food removal plate  35 . 
     Two holes  37  are punched into the food removal plate  35 . Said holes  37  permit said food removal plate  36  to glide along the prongs  38  when pulling or pushing the food removal plate  35  backward or forward with the food removal rod  17 . The punched holes  37  in the food removal plate  35  are sufficiently large enough to allow the prongs  38  of the fork  3  to move freely in relation to the food removal plate  35 . 
     The food removal rod  17  extends from the food removal plate  35  upward toward the hand grip  1 . Two eye screws  22  with tapered threads  32  are threaded into holes  31  which are drilled into the shank  2  one inch below copper sleeve  7  located near hand grip  1  and one inch above copper sleeve  12  located at bottom of shank  2 . A groove  8  is cut into the hand grip  1  and lined up with food removal rod  21 , a component of the food transfer system. When all components are property aligned a hole  9  is drilled one and a half inches up from the bottom of hand grip  1  horizontally through both the shank  2  and hand grip  1  at the same time creating a comparable hole  9 A in said shank  2  including the copper sleeve  7  and out the other side of hand grip  1 . This horizontal hole  9  permits a pull ring pin  10  feature of proper length and diameter to be inserted into the drilled hole  9  and pushed through the hand grip  1  through copper sleeve  7  into shank  2  and exiting other side of hand grip  1 . 
     The food removal rod  17  passes down through the two eye screws  22  on the shank  2  and ultimately attaches to the food removal plate  35 . At the upper and of the food transfer system  19  the food removal rod  17  bends outward from the hand grip  1  away from said hand grip  1  providing a trigger-like  33  feature that the user can use to pull or push the food removal rod  17  backward or forward activating the food removal plate. 
     After roasting the food a user can activate the food removal rod  17 , in turn activating the complete food transfer system  19  to safely and conveniently remove said food from the hot fork  3  onto a plate providing sanitary food handling and eliminating potential burn injury. The purpose of the wing nut  24  and the lock washer  25  attaching the food removal plate  35  to the food removal rod  17  is to facilitate disassembly, making cleanup of the food removal system  19  sanitary, convenient, and easy. 
     In summary while the description above describes some of the main features—hand grip, shank, fork, and food transfer system—of this invention, it should not be construed as to constrain the scope of possibilities i.e., size, length, or materials of both the rearward or forward roasting apparatuses thus making possible the replication by one with the appropriate skills in the art. 
     These contrivances, the rearward and forward roasting fork apparatuses, provide the user to be safely distanced from open flame and heat while the food transfer system which provides for a more sanitary, hands-free means of removing foodstuff, also greatly reduces burn injuries from accidentally coming in contact with hot metal forks or metal shanks.