Abstract:
A portable gas-fired cook stove is provided with readily assembled and disassembled legs, which facilitates shipping and storage of the cook stove. The legs are fastened to the stove body through a simple but very strong connection, which is capable of supporting loads well in excess of the weight of the cooking pot, food items, and cooking liquid. The cook stove can be disassembled and packaged with a nested cooking pot in a reduced-volume carton to reduce the space occupied by the carton during shipping and display.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/319,121, filed Feb. 25, 2002, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a gas-fired cooking apparatus. In one aspect, the invention relates to a portable gas stove having removable legs. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of packaging a portable stove with removable legs. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Outdoor cooking is an increasingly popular pastime. Traditional grilling on a charcoal grill has been supplanted by a variety of outdoor cooking techniques, many utilizing portable gas-fired cook stoves. One popular technique involves placing food items in a large cook pot containing oil or water which is heated by a portable cook stove supplied with a gas, such as propane, from a small cylinder. Such cooking assemblies have transformed typical backyard barbeque fare from hamburgers and hotdogs to deep-fried turkeys and boiled seafood dinners. The cooking of large food items, such as a turkey, or large quantities of a variety of food items, has given rise to larger cooking pots, which, when filled with the food items and the cooking liquid, can become quite heavy. The portable cook stove must consequently be capable of safely supporting such weight while the cook operates the device and handles the food being cooked therein. At the same time, the cook stove must be portable, relatively lightweight, and readily stored. Ideally, the cook stove must be capable of being easily disassembled for convenient storage and transportation, and reassembled for use. 
     Knock-down (or portable) cook stoves typically include removable legs. In addition to ease of storage, removable legs facilitate the shipping of a larger number of units in an ocean shipping container or truck. This lowers shipping costs and the ultimate cost of each unit. However, is consequently necessary for the end-user to attach the legs to the body of the cook stove. 
     Conventional cook stoves have legs attached to the body with a threaded connection such as a bracket which holds the legs to the body using small bolts or screws. The cook stove can be difficult and time-consuming to assemble, particularly if the fit and form of the threaded connections are poor. As well, the fasteners can rust over time, contributing to failure of the connection. Significantly, the load-bearing weight of the cook pot, food items, and cooking liquid is necessarily transferred to these small horizontal fasteners. If the legs are improperly installed, fasteners over-torqued, or if the fasteners have insufficient strength, the connection can fail, resulting in collapse causing fire, property damage, or personal injury due to contact with the hot cooking liquid. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A portable cook stove adapted for supporting a cooking pot thereon comprises a wall having a closed hoop configuration defining a periphery, wherein the wall defines a central opening therethrough, at least one cooking pot support mounted to the wall in a generally transverse orientation to the wall and extending into the central opening, the at least one cooking pot support defining a cooking pot support surface for supporting the cooking pot thereon, a burner mounted to the wall in a generally coaxial configuration with the central opening, the burner adapted to be operably interconnected with a source of fuel, a plurality of mounting portions mounted to at least one of the wall and the at least one cooking pot support in spaced locations around the periphery of the wall, and a plurality of ground-engaging legs connected to the mounting portions, wherein one of a lower surface of the wall and an upper portion of the plurality of legs has a mounting opening with a terminal end thereon adapted to receive the other of the lower surface of the wall and the upper portion of the plurality of legs when the plurality of legs are mounted to the mounting portions, and wherein the one of the lower surface of the wall and the upper portion of the plurality of legs can abut and receive reinforcement from the terminal end of the mounting opening when a force is imposed on the cooking pot support surface. 
     In one embodiment, the plurality of legs are inclined at a predetermined acute angle outwardly with respect to the wall so that a load on the cooking pot support surface will urge the legs to deflect angularly outwardly and provide additional support to the portable cook stove and a more stable base for the cooking pot to prevent tipping thereof. In another embodiment, the mounting portions further comprise nuts and the plurality of legs are threaded coaxially therein. The plurality of legs can further comprise a shoulder which receives a bottom edge of the wall, or flanges with mounting apertures therethrough, which are attached to the wall via fasteners extending through the mounting apertures. A lower edge of the wall can have a groove in register with each of the plurality of the ground-engaging legs and the mounting portion can be received within the groove to minimize side-to-side and rocking movement of the corresponding leg with respect to the wall. 
     In another embodiment, the mounting opening and the terminal end are on the legs and comprise a v-shaped opening having a shoulder. The wall can have a rounded rectangular shape or be circular. 
     In another embodiment, the at least one cooking pot support is a v-shaped brace mounted to an interior surface of the wall. In yet another embodiment, the wall can have top and bottom edges, wherein the wall engages each of the plurality of legs at a point intermediate the top and bottom edges whereby the engagement resists the outer deflection of each of the plurality of legs during loading of the portable cook stove. The burner can also be positioned at the mid-height of the wall to maximize the diversion of wind away from the burner. 
     The invention also relates to a method of packaging a portable cook stove comprising the steps of providing a carton of a predetermined size, providing a portable cook stove in a disassembled state comprising a wall having a closed hoop configuration having a top edge and a bottom edge and defining a central opening therethrough having a plurality of cooking pot supports mounted to the wall adjacent the top edge thereof and extending into the central opening, a plurality of legs, a cooking pot defining a cooking chamber therein, a burner adapted to be mounted to the wall, and hardware for attachment purposes, inverting the wall so that the cooking pot supports comprise a floor portion adjacent the bottom edge of the inverted wall, placing the inverted wall inside the carton, placing the cooking pot within the central opening inside the inverted wall atop the cooking pot supports, placing the legs, the burner, and the hardware inside the cooking chamber of the cooking pot, and closing the carton, whereby the carton can be sealed and shipped to a desired location and the packaged portable cook stove occupies less space than a portable cook stove packaged utilizing conventional packaging methods. 
     The method can further comprise the steps of placing packing materials around the components in the carton to prevent damage to the components in the carton during shipping, unpacking the carton and assembling the portable cook stove, and loading a plurality of cartons packaged according to the invention into a standard shipping container for delivery. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable cook stove comprising removable legs illustrating a first embodiment of the invention connected to a gas supply and supporting a cooking pot. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the portable cook stove of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the portable cook stove of FIG. 1 with a portion of the stove body cut away to show a connection of a leg to the stove body. 
     FIG. 3A is an exploded close-up view of the connection of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the portable cook stove of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portable cook stove illustrating a second embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the portable cook stove of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the portable cook stove of FIG. 1 disassembled and packaged with a cooking pot in a shipping carton. 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the cook stove of FIG. 1 with a schematic representation of the distribution of the load through the stove imposed by a cooking pot containing food items and cooking liquid. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention comprising the portable cook stove of FIG.  2  and an alternate embodiment of the removable legs. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention comprising the portable cook stove of FIG.  5  and an alternate embodiment of the removable legs. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of one of the legs shown in FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the leg shown in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the leg shown in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the leg shown in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the leg shown in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 17 is a plan view of a pattern for fabricating the leg shown in FIG. 12 from metal plate. 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention comprising alternate embodiments of the portable cook stove of FIG.  10  and the removable leg. 
     FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of the leg shown in FIG.  18 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a portable gas cook stove  10  according to the invention is connected to a supply of gas, such as a portable propane gas cylinder  12 . The gas cook stove  10  supports a cooking pot  14  containing selected food items and a cooking liquid, such as oil or water, for cooking the food items. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, the gas cook stove  10  comprises a circular windband hoop  16  supported on three removable legs  18 , three pot supports  20 , and a venturi-type gas burner  22 . In the preferred embodiment, the hoop  16  comprises a generally rectangular 3.2 mm thick flat steel plate, 6 inches wide, which is formed, preferably by welding, into a cylindrical, open-ended body having a peripheral wall defining a center opening  58  therethrough, and having a diameter of 14 inches, with a top edge  24 , a bottom edge  26 , and an inside surface  28 . 
     The hoop  16  is provided with three leg slots  30  extending upwardly from the bottom edge  26 , preferably having a length of 2⅝ inches, and terminating in a terminal end  31 . The slots  30  are preferably ¾-inch in width, but can be any width suitable to slidably receive a removable leg  18  as hereinafter described. The slots  30  are spaced around the hoop  16  at 120 degrees. The hoop  16  is also provided with two pair of diametrically-opposed burner support bar-apertures  32 , each of which receives, in the preferred embodiment, a ⅜-inch hex head bolt  38 . Preferably, the apertures  32  in each pair are vertically spaced 1 inch on center. The hoop  16  also comprises a circular burner aperture  34  preferably having a diameter of three inches centered approximately 2½ inches above the bottom edge  26 . A lighting aperture  36  having a diameter of approximately one inch is located approximately 1⅞ inches below the top edge  24 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, each leg  18  comprises a ⅝-inch diameter solid round steel rod  40  approximately 12¾ inches long. A first end  42  of the rod  40  is threaded. A second end of the rod  40  slidably receives a rubber tip  44  or a round metal cap. The tip  44  can be frictionally fit onto the leg  18 , or secured such as with an adhesive or welding. A lock nut  46  is threaded onto the threaded end  42 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the cook stove  10  comprises three pot supports  20 , comprising generally rectangular 4.15 mm thick flat steel plate having a width of 1½ inch and a length of approximately 12½ inches. Alternatively, the pot supports  20  can comprise round steel bar. Each support  20  is formed into a generally V-shaped member or brace having a first leg  130  approximately 5½ inches long and a second leg  132  approximately 5½ inches long to define an angle of 72 degree with an intervening bight section  134  having a radius of ¾ inch. Each support  20  has an upper edge  136  and a lower edge  138 . The first leg  130  terminates in an end  140 , and the second leg  132  terminates in an end  142  which are attached to the hoop  16  as hereinafter described. The legs  130 ,  132  are beveled 45° at a corner  50  extending from the upper edge  136  to the respective ends  140 ,  142 . The height of the bevel is preferably {fraction (7/16)} inch. The supports  20  are spaced around the hoop  16  at 120 degrees. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A, the first leg  130  of each support  20  is provided with a spacer cutout  56  comprising an inclined notch extending upwardly from the lower edge  138 . The cutout  56  is inclined away from the end  140  an angle preferably of approximately 20 degrees, identified in FIG. 3A as “α.” The cutout  56  comprises an outer edge  144  and an inner edge  146  in parallel, spaced-apart relationship, and an upper edge  148  orthogonal to the edges  144 ,  146  to define the rectilinear cutout  56  having a generally square or rectangular profile. The preferred embodiment comprises a leg spacer  52  comprising a toroidal-shaped or hex-shaped-piece having a diameter of 1½ inch and a height of ¾ inch, a circumferential edge  150 , and a threaded aperture  54  axially therethrough for threaded communication with the threaded end  42  of the rod  40 . The spacer cutout  56  slidably receives the leg spacer  52  so that a diameter of the spacer  52  is aligned with the plane of the first leg  130 . The length of the edges  144 ,  146  is generally equal to the height of the spacer  52 . Each leg end  140 ,  142  is rigidly attached to the inside surface  28 , preferably by welding along the interface of the end  140 ,  142  and the inside surface  28  on both sides of the leg  130 ,  132 . The spacer  52  is rigidly attached to the cutout  56 , preferably by welding along the interface of the spacer  52  and the edges  144 ,  146  on both sides of the leg  130 . 
     Preferably, the spacer  52  does not extend beyond the lower edge  138 . Preferably, a portion of the leg  130  between the spacer  52  and the end  140  is removed to provide a shortened lower edge  152  offset from and parallel to the lower edge  138  extending from the circumferential edge  150  to the end  140  so that the spacer  52  does not extend beyond the shortened lower edge  138 . The length of the shortened lower edge  138  is approximately ½ inch, thereby positioning the spacer circumferential edge  150  approximately ½ inch from the inside surface  28 . Each support  20  is positioned around the circumference of the hoop  16  so that each leg  18  can extend through a slot  30  and threaded into the spacer  52 , contacting the terminal end  31  of the corresponding slot  30 . The supports  20  are attached to the hoop  16  so that the support upper edge  136  extends above the hoop top edge  24  approximately {fraction (7/16)} inch, and each bight section  134  extends radially inwardly toward the center of the hoop  16  above the burner  22 . Alternatively, the supports  20  can be attached to the hoop  16  so that the support upper edge  136  extends below the hoop top edge  24  to prevent a smaller cook pot from sliding or being moved off the cook stove  10 , as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a burner support bar  70  comprises a generally rectangular 4.15 mm thick flat steel plate having a width of approximately one inch. The burner support bar  70  comprises a support portion  66  terminating in two mounting flanges  68  in parallel, spaced-apart relationship orthogonal to the support portion  66  at either end thereof. The length of the support bar  70  is generally equal to the inside diameter of the hoop  16 . Each mounting flange  68  is provided with a pair of apertures  78  corresponding to the burner support bar apertures  32  for receiving the bolts  38  therethrough. In the preferred embodiment, the burner support bar  70  is attached to the hoop  16  by inserting the bolt  38  through each burner support bar aperture  32  and corresponding flange aperture  78 , and securing the bolt  38  with a conventional lock washer  48  and hex nut  62 . The midpoint of the support bar  70  is also provided with a burner mounting aperture  64  therethrough. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the cook stove  10  is provided with a conventional venturi-type gas burner  22  comprising a generally irregularly-shaped, hollow member. Alternatively, other gas burners or heat sources, such as electrical heating elements, can be used. The gas burner  22  is provided with a conventional gas line connection  80  at a gas inlet end  90  for connecting the burner  22  to a gas supply  12 , as shown in FIG. 1, and a generally circular gas combustion end  94  for supplying heat to a cooking container, such as the cooking pot  14 . The gas inlet end  90  comprises an air/gas mixing chamber  88  having a pair of diametrically-opposed air inlet slots  86 . The burner  22  is mounted in the hoop  16  so that the gas combustion end  94  is coaxial with the hoop  16  and centered over the burner mounting aperture  64 , with the gas inlet end  90  extending radially therefrom through the burner aperture  34  . An air inlet plate  82  comprises a generally circular plate having a pair of diametrically-opposed air inlet slots  84 . The air inlet plate  82  is rotatably attached to the gas inlet end  90  through a suitable connection (not shown), such as a threaded connection, so that the air inlet plate  82  can be rotated in order to either align or offset the air inlet slots  84  with the air inlet slots  86  in order to control the flow of air into the burner  22 . A mounting bolt conduit  96  extends through the gas combustion end  94  coaxial therewith for receiving a mounting bolt  98  for attaching the burner  22  to the burner support bar  70  through the burner mounting aperture  64  using a nut  100  and a lock washer  102 . 
     The cook stove  10  is assembled by an end user by first attaching the burner support bar  70  to the hoop  16  using the bolts  38 , the nuts  62 , and the lock washers  48 . Preferably, the burner support bar  70  is attached to the hoop  16  so that the flanges  68  extend upwardly. The burner  22  is attached to the burner support bar  70 , after first inserting the inlet end  90  through the burner aperture  34  by inserting the mounting bolt  98  through the mounting bolt conduit  96  and the burner mounting aperture  64 , using the nut  100  and lock washer  102 . The legs  18  are then threaded into the leg spacers  52  to extend into the center opening  58  and the lock nuts  46  are tightened against the spacers  52  to rigidly secure the legs  18  into the spacers  52 . The legs  18  will be inclined from the vertical approximately 20 degrees to extend outwardly of the hoop  16  through the leg slots  30 , and will contact the terminal ends  31  of the leg slots  30 . 
     The legs  18  can be adjusted to accommodate an uneven support surface by turning each leg  18  inwardly or outwardly as necessary to level the cook stove  10 . Tightening the locknut  46  against the spacer  52  will maintain the legs  18  at the proper length and the cook stove  10  in the level position. 
     A cooking pot  14  containing food items and cooking liquid is placed on the supports  20 . The cook stove  10  can accommodate a pot having a diameter greater than the diameter of the hoop  16  since the pot will be supported above the hoop  16  due to the elevation of the upper edge  136  of the supports  20  above the top edge  24  of the hoop  16 . The weight of the pot  14  is transferred directly from the supports  20  through the leg spacers  52  and into the legs  18 . None of the weight of the pot  14  is carried by the hoop  16  or by any of the bolted connections. If placement of the pot  14  on the cook stove  10  should urge the legs  18  outwardly, the outward movement of the legs  18  will be resisted by contact of the legs  18  with the terminal ends  31  of the slots  30 . 
     The burner  22  is lighted by turning on the gas from the gas supply  12  and passing a long match or other lighting implement through the lighting aperture  36 . The flame can be adjusted by rotating the air inlet plate  82  to align or offset the slots  84  with the slots  86 . 
     FIGS. 5-7 illustrate a portable gas cook stove  108  illustrating a second embodiment of the invention, which is identical in most respects to the first embodiment  10  described herein. The embodiments differ only in the shape of the hoop, the number of pot supports, and the number, length, and placement of the legs. Thus, like numerals will be used for like elements. Both embodiments comprise a venturi-type burner, a burner support bar, legs having a threaded end with a threaded lock nut, threaded spacers for threading of the legs therein, and a hoop having a lighting aperture, a burner aperture, and mounting apertures therethrough. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the second embodiment comprises a generally square hoop  110  having four legs  112  and four pot supports  114  comprising identical V-shaped members. The cook stove  108  also comprises a conventional venturi-type burner  22  and burner support bar  70  generally the same as for the first embodiment  10  of the invention. 
     The hoop  110  comprises a generally rectangular 3.2 mm thick flat steel plate having a 6-inch width, which is fabricated, preferably by welding, into a generally square-shaped body approximately 14 inches square having a peripheral wall defining a center opening  122  therethrough, comprising four straight walls  116  joined by four curved walls  118 , and having an inside surface  154  and a bottom edge  124 . One of the straight walls  116  is provided with a burner lighting aperture  36 , preferably one inch in diameter. Two opposing walls are provided with burner support bar apertures  32  for attaching a burner support bar  70  generally as for the first embodiment  10 . One of the straight walls  116  orthogonal to the walls  116  having the burner support bar apertures  32  is also provided with a burner aperture  156  for receipt of a heating element therethrough, such as the venturi burner  22  shown in the first embodiment. Preferably, the burner aperture  156  has a diameter of 2¼ inch. 
     Each pot support  114  comprises a generally rectangular 4.15 mm thick flat steel plate, having a width of 1¼ inch, which is formed into a V-shaped member or brace generally as for the support  20  described with respect to the first embodiment  10 . Each support  114  comprises a pair of equal-length legs  160  connected by a bight section  162  and forming an angle of approximately 65 degrees. The upper corner of each leg  160  is finished off at a 45° bevel, approximately {fraction (7/16)} inch in height. Each support  114  is rigidly attached to the inside surface  154  of a straight wall  116 , preferably by welding, so that the pot support  114  extends above the top edge of the hoop  110  approximately {fraction (7/16)} inch. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, a spacer cutout  128  is provided at the bottom edge  124  at each corner of the hoop  110  for receiving the leg spacer  52 . Alternatively, a conventional threaded nut can be used as the spacer  52 . The leg spacer  52  is inserted into the cutout  128  and welded to the hoop  110  by running a weld around the spacer  52  along the edge of the cutout  128  on each side of the hoop  110  so that its axis is inclined outwardly of the hoop  110  15 degrees from the vertical. The spacers  52  are also oriented in the cutouts  128  so that the wall of the hoop  110  intersects a portion of the threaded aperture  54 , thus preventing the leg  112  from being threaded past the top of the spacer  52 . 
     The legs  112  each comprise a ⅝-inch diameter solid round steel rod approximately 8 inches long. A first end  42  of the leg  112  is threaded. A second end of the leg  112  slidably receives a rubber tip  44 . The tip  44  can be frictionally fit onto the leg  112 , or secured with an adhesive. A lock nut  46  is threaded onto the threaded end  42 . The legs  112  are attached by threading the legs  112  into the spacer  52  and locking the leg  112  in place with the lock nut  54 . The legs  112  will thus be inclined outwardly of the hoop  110  approximately 15 degrees from the vertical. The burner support bar  70  is attached to the hoop  110  by passing the bolts  38  through the support bar apertures  32  and flange apertures  78 , and securing the bolts  38  with the lock washers  48  and the nuts  62 . The burner  22  is attached to the burner support bar  70  as for the first embodiment with the gas inlet end  90  protruding through the burner aperture for connection to the gas supply  12 . 
     The advantages of this unique burner assembly are ease of assembly, strength, stability, and shipping convenience. The burner support bar  70  is easily attached by the end user to the hoop  16 ,  110  and carries no weight through any of its bolted connections. The burner  22  is easily assembled by the end user onto the burner support bar  70  which enables the burner  22  to be supplied separated from the hoop  16 ,  110  for convenience in shipping. The legs  20 ,  112  can also be shipped separated from the hoop  16 ,  110  to provide a compact shipping package. As shown in FIG. 8, the legs, burner, and burner support bar can be shipped inside the cooking chamber  15  of a cooking pot  14  which is, in turn, inserted into the inverted hoop  16 ,  110  for shipping in a carton for retail sale to customers. The compact shipping configuration also affects the number of units that can be shipped from the manufacturer. The number of cook stove/cooking pot combination sets that can be carried by a standard shipping container is approximately twice that of sets using a prior art design. As shown in FIG. 8, packing the cooking pot  14  inside the hoop  16 ,  110  also reduces the potential for damage to the pot  14  during shipping. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3,  3 A,  6 , and  7 , the legs  18 ,  112  are easily threaded into the spacer  52  by the end-user to form a strong connection thereby avoiding the hazards associated with improper mounting of the legs to the frame, as can occur with a bolted connection. As shown in FIG. 9, the unique design of the leg-to-frame connection provides significant strength and load carrying capacity. As an example, with the circular hoop  16 , the load (designated as “A” in FIG. 9) from a cooking pot  14  containing food items and a cooking liquid will be distributed (designated as “B” in FIG. 9) along the supports  20  through the spacer threaded connection and axially down the legs  18  (designated as “C” in FIG.  9 ). In a similar manner, with the square hoop  110 , the load from a cooking pot  14  containing food items and a cooking liquid will be distributed along the supports  114  into the hoop  110  through the welded connections between the supports  114  and the hoop  110 , along the hoop walls  116 ,  118 , through the spacer threaded connection and axially down the legs  112 . 
     With both embodiments, the load is borne entirely by essentially rigid connections (i.e. welding or threaded). Furthermore, the prior art bolted connections are subjected to potentially large shear stresses which can cause failure if the connections are not properly made or are weakened due to corrosion or rust. With the subject cook stove, the threaded connections carry the load axially, rather than transversely, essentially eliminating shear stresses across the threaded connection, and the connecting elements (i.e. the spacer, the threaded end, and the leg) have a relatively large section, providing increased strength over the prior art bolted connections. The leg strength and the inclination of the legs relative to the hoop result in an extremely stable structure, minimizing the potential for overturning of the cookstove and cooking pot, thereby contributing to improved safety. Finally, the unique design of the cook stove makes it virtually impossible to improperly assemble the legs to the hoop. If the legs are somehow improperly assembled, the cook stove will not be properly supported on the legs, thereby preventing its use. With either the three-leg or four-leg design, the failure of a leg to be securely threaded into the spacer will render the cook stove unstable and unusable. 
     The height of the hoop  16 ,  110  provides increased wind protection for the burner  22 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the burner  22  is positioned essentially-at the mid-height of the hoop  16 ,  110 . Thus, the hoop  16 ,  110  extends approximately 3 inches above and below the burner  22 . The presence of the cooking pot  14  acts as a further shield against wind over the top of the hoop  16 ,  110 . The extension of the hoop  16 ,  110  below the burner  22 , and the use of relatively short legs, also limit the wind effect from below the hoop  16 ,  110 . This configuration mitigates the effects of the wind, and contributes to more controlled heating, a hotter flame, efficient gas use, and more satisfactory cooking results. Additionally, the use of short legs contributes to a cook stove having a low center of gravity, enhancing the stove&#39;s stability against overturning, and facilitating the use of tall, high volume cooking pots. 
     An alternate embodiment of the legs is illustrated in FIGS. 10-17. FIG. 10 illustrates the legs supporting a circular windband hoop  172  similar to the windband hoop  16  shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 11 illustrates the legs supporting a square hoop  182  similar to the square hoop  110  shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 10-17 differ from the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-9 in the configuration of the hoops and the pot supports, and the structure and attachment of the legs. However, like numerals will be used for like elements between these embodiments. All the embodiments comprise a gas burner, a burner support bar, and a hoop having a lighting aperture, a burner aperture, and mounting apertures therethrough. 
     Referring now to FIG. 10, in light of FIGS. 3 and 4, a gas cook stove  170  comprises a circular windband hoop  172 , a plurality of pot supports  174 , and a burner  22  supported by a burner support bar  70  attached to the windband hoop  172  through bolts  38 , assembled generally as for the cook stove  10  shown in FIG. 3, and supported by a plurality of legs  176 . The hoop  172  is identical to the hoop  16  except that the leg slots  30  are omitted in the hoop  172 , and a plurality of vertically-oriented, suitably-sized mounting slots  230  extending through the hoop  172  are provided for attaching the legs  176  to the hoop  172  with conventional fasteners, such as a threaded bolt  240 , a lock washer  242 , and a threaded nut  244 . The pot supports  174  are identical to the pot supports  20  except that the spacer cutouts  56  are omitted in the pot supports  174 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 11, in light of FIGS. 6 and 7, a gas cook stove  180  comprises a square hoop  182 , a plurality of pot supports  114 , and a burner  22  supported by a burner support bar  70  attached to the square hoop  182  through bolts  38 , assembled generally as for the cook stove  108  shown in FIG. 6, and supported by a plurality of legs  186 . The square hoop  182  is identical to the square hoop  110  except that the spacer cutouts  128  are omitted in the square hoop  182 , and a plurality of vertically-oriented, suitably-sized mounting slots  232  extending through the hoop  182  are provided for attaching the legs  186  to the hoop  182  with conventional fasteners, such as a threaded bolt  240 , a lock washer  242 , and a threaded nut  244 . 
     FIGS. 12-15 illustrate the leg  176  for use with the circular windband hoop  172 . FIG. 16 illustrates the leg  186  for use with the square hoop  182 . FIG. 17 illustrates a pattern for fabricating both the legs  176 ,  186 . The leg  176 ,  186  is a hollow elongated member comprising a standard  190  transitioning to a mounting flange  192  at an upper end thereof and a foot  194  at a lower end thereof. The legs  176 ,  186  are identical except for the curvature of the mounting flange  192  as hereinafter disclosed, and are preferably fabricated from metal flat stock, such as 2 mm steel plate. 
     The standard  190  comprises a back wall  196  comprising an upper portion  195  having the general shape of an inverted truncated triangle connected to a trapezoidal-shaped planar lower portion  197 , a first sidewall  198 , and a second sidewall  200 . The first sidewall  198  comprises a longitudinal edge  202  along an outer portion thereof, a transverse edge  206  at a lower portion thereof, and an inclined edge  210  along a rear portion thereof inclined downwardly away from the longitudinal edge  202 . The second sidewall  200  comprises a longitudinal edge  204  along an outer portion thereof, a transverse edge  208  at a lower portion thereof, and an inclined edge  212  along a rear portion thereof inclined downwardly away from the longitudinal edge  204 . As hereinafter disclosed in greater detail, the sidewalls  198 ,  200  extend outwardly from the back wall  196  to be joined along the longitudinal edges  202 ,  204  to form the standard  190  having a triangular cross-section. 
     The mounting flange  192  comprises an extension of the upper portion  195  having a pair of ears  214 ,  216  extending transversely of the upper portion  195  in spaced-apart juxtaposition. The ears  214 ,  216  are provided with mounting apertures  220  therethrough and generally centered therein. The mounting flange  192  and the upper portion  195  define an obverse contact surface  218 , which transitions uniformly from a planar shape at its junction with the lower portion  197  to an arcuate shape at the mounting flange  192 . The arcuate shape of the mounting flange  192  is adapted so that the contact surface  218  is in communication with the inside surface  28 ,  154 . 
     The foot  194  comprises a generally truncated triangular-shaped extension of the lower portion  197  of the back wall  196  having top surface  224  and a bottom surface  226 , and provided with a drain hole  246  through the upper middle thereof. The foot  194  is oriented relative to the standard  190  so that the top surface  224  is in contact with the transverse edges  206 ,  208 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 17, an exemplary pattern is shown for fabricating the leg  176 ,  186  from metal plate, such as steel. Preferably, the leg  176 ,  186  is fabricated utilizing conventional stamping and forming processes. As previously described, the standard  190  is formed by folding the sidewalls  198 ,  200  forward (i.e. toward the viewer in the view shown in FIG. 18) along the fold lines  250  so that the longitudinal edges  202 ,  204  are brought into contact. Preferably, the longitudinal edges  202 ,  204  are secured together by a conventional fillet weld along the edges  202 ,  204 . The foot  194  is folded forward along the lower transverse fold line  254  so that the transverse edges  206 ,  208  are in contact with the top surface  224 . Preferably, a conventional fillet weld is provided along the junction of the transverse edges  206 ,  208  and the top surface  224  in order to secure the foot  194  to the standard  190 . The upper portion  195  is folded forward along the upper transverse fold line  252  so that the upper portion  195  is generally parallel to the inclined edges  210 ,  212 , as shown in FIG. 14, to form a slot  222 , having a lower slot edge or shoulder  223  at a terminal end  228  thereof. Preferably, the slot  222  will be formed to slidably receive the hoops  172 ,  182  in a partial interference fit with the bottom edge  26  . The upper portion  195  and the mounting flange  192  are also formed to transition from a planar shape at the fold line  252  to an arcuate shape at the mounting flange  192 , as shown more clearly in FIGS. 15 and 16, respectively. It will be understood that the aforementioned fabrication steps are applicable to both the legs  176 ,  186 . As shown in FIG. 14, as so fabricated, the standard  190  will be inclined relative to the foot  194 , which will be supported by the bottom surface  226  in contact with a support surface (not shown), and the slot  222  will be generally orthogonal to the foot  194 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the overall length of the pattern is 13 inches, the width of the mounting flange  192  is 5¾ inches, and the width of the foot  194  is 5¾ inches. The distance from the front of the foot  194  to the lower transverse fold line  254  is 1⅝ inches, the distance from the top of the mounting flange  192  to the upper transverse fold line  252  is 4 inches, the length of the lower transverse fold line  254  is 1⅜ inches, and the length of the upper transverse fold line  252  is 1¾ inches. The length of the-transverse edges  206 ,  208  is 1.463 inches. The inclined edges  210 ,  212  are inclined 70° elative to the upper transverse fold line  252 . The transverse edges  206 ,  208  are inclined 20° relative to the lower transverse fold line  254 . 
     Referring again to FIGS. 10 and 11, the legs  176 ,  186  are attached to the hoops  172 ,  182 , respectively, by sliding the hoops  172 ,  182  into the slots  222  so that the mounting flange  192  is received in the center opening  58 ,  122 , the contact surface  218  is in slidable communication with the inside surfaces  28 ,  154  and the hoops  172 ,  182  are supported in the slots  222  on the slot edges  223 . The legs  176 ,  186  are secured to the hoops  172 ,  182  by threaded fasteners, such as the bolts  240  inserted through the mounting slots  230 ,  232  in the hoops  172 ,  182 , and the mounting apertures  220  in cooperative alignment therewith. The bolts  240  are preferably secured with the lockwashers  242  and the threaded nuts  244 . 
     As so assembled, the legs  176 ,  186  will extend outwardly of the, hoops  172 ,  182  to be supported upon the feet  194  so that the weight of the cooking pot  14  will be distributed through the pot supports  114 ,  174  to the hoops  172 ,  182 , through the standards  190  and the feet  194 , to the support surface on which the cook stove is supported. With both legs  176 ,  186 , the load is borne entirely by the standards  190  and the feet  194  and not by any connections. The three-sided triangular configuration of the standards  190  results in a structural element having a very high axial and bending strength. The bolted connections are provided simply to keep the legs  176 ,  186  in proper position and attached to the hoop  172 ,  182 , and do not carry any load. The combination of an interference fit and a bolted leg attachment makes it virtually impossible to improperly assemble the legs  176 ,  186  to the hoops  172 ,  182 . If the legs are somehow improperly assembled, the cook stove will not be properly supported on the legs, thereby preventing its use. If the legs  176 ,  186  are improperly bolted to the hoops  172 ,  182 , the stove and the weight that it supports will still be adequately supported by the legs since the load will still be distributed from the hoop  172 ,  182 , through the slot edge  223 , and through the standard  190  and foot  194 . 
     FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate a fifth embodiment of the leg  260  which is identical to the legs  176 ,  186  except in the mounting flange and the placement of the mounting apertures for attaching the leg  260  to the hoop  172 ,  182 , and its fabrication from two work pieces rather than a single work piece. Thus, like numerals will be used for like elements between these embodiments. 
     The leg  260  is a hollow elongated member comprising a standard  190  transitioning to a mounting flange  262  at an upper end thereof and a foot  194  at a lower end thereof. The mounting flange  262  comprises a generally triangular shaped extension of the upper portion  195  having an obverse contact surface  264 , which transitions uniformly from a planar shape at its junction with the lower portion  197  to an arcuate shape at the mounting flange  262 . The arcuate shape of the mounting flange  262  is adapted so that the contact surface  264  is in communication with the inside surface  28 ,  154  when the foot  260  is attached to the hoop  172 ,  182 . 
     The circular hoop  172  illustrated in FIG. 18 is identical to the hoop  172  shown in FIG. 10, except that it is provided with a single mounting slot  230  therethrough adapted for alignment with the longitudinal axis of the leg  260  when the leg  260  is attached to the hoop  172 , rather than the paired mounting slots shown in FIG.  10 . The hoop  172  illustrated in FIG. 18 is also provided with a notch  234  in the bottom edge to receive the slot edges  223  of the slot  266 . This notch  234  minimizes any side-to-side movement of the attached leg  260 . The square hoop  182  can also be provided with the mounting slot  230  and the notch  234  for attaching the leg  260  as for the hoop  172 . The hoop  172 ,  182  can also be provided without the notch  234 . 
     The standard  190  is fabricated of a first generally elongated work piece  272  bent along a longitudinal fold line  258  into an elongated arcuate wall having a pair of spaced-apart rear edges  276 ,  278 . Alternatively, the first workpiece can be folded into an angular configuration. Referring also to FIG. 17, a second work piece  274  is an elongated member comprising a somewhat triangular-shaped mounting flange  262 , a somewhat triangular-shaped foot  194 , and a back wall  196  corresponding generally in shape to the pattern shown in FIG. 17 with the sidewalls  198 ,  200  removed along the longitudinal fold lines  250 . The first work piece  272  is fixedly attached to the second work piece  274  by joining the rear edges  276 ,  278  to the edges of the back wall  196  (corresponding to the longitudinal fold lines  250  shown in FIG.  17 ), such as by spot welding or continuous welding. The foot  194  is folded against the lower transverse edges  206 ,  208  and secured thereto as previously disclosed for the legs  176 ,  186 . The mounting flange  262  is folded and formed into a curve as previously disclosed for the legs  176 ,  186  to form the leg  260  and a slot  266 . 
     A generally rectilinear front mounting slot  268  intersects the longitudinal fold line  258  coaxial with a rear mounting aperture  270  extending through the mounting flange  262 . A single bolt  240  is inserted through the mounting slot  268  and the mounting aperture  270  and a cooperating mounting slot in the hoop  172 ,  182  to secure the leg  260  to the hoop  172 ,  182  in a manner similar to the attachment of the leg  176 ,  186  to the hoop  172 ,  182 . The mounting slot  268  is adapted to hold the head of the bolt  240  to enable the nut  244  to be tightened without the necessity of holding the bolt head with a wrench. 
     The fifth embodiment  260  of the leg provides for easy consumer assembly since only a single bolt is used per leg. No vertical stress is carried by the horizontal bolts. Thus, there is virtually no possibility of sheared or broken bolts during normal use. Since the bolt extends through the standard in addition to the mounting flange, the legs cannot buckle away from the hoop, nor can they buckle under the hoop. The locking leg design and wide foot pad provide a very stable cook stove on a variety of support surfaces, and make the cook stove virtually impossible to overturn during use. Finally, the entire disassembled cook stove unit packs inside a very small carton. Approximately 960 cook stove units can be packed into a 40-foot HC ocean container. 
     Unless specifically claimed otherwise, it will be understood that all structural and dimensional values (including lengths, widths, heights, thicknesses, angles, number of elements, etc.) provided herein are for the purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention and should not be construed as limiting on the invention. 
     While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention.