Improvements in Means for Suspending Kettles and the like above Fires.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Suspending Kettles and the like above
Fires.
I, WILLIAM CASWELL DONICA, of Grayson, Indiana, U.S.A., Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide improvements in means for suspend-
ing kettles, pots, pans and the like above fires at any suitable height. The
invention will be found especially useful for use in connection with grates having
open fires, and also for use over fires when camping.
The invention comprises a rectangular or other suitably shaped base-frame
adapted to rest upon the hobs of the grate. Vertical uprights are arranged on
the frame and have suitably formed eyes passed over them; the apertures in the
eyes being too large to fit the uprights accurately. The sleeves have projecting
stems, hinged to a bar extending horizontally between them, and carrying a
depending hook or hooks to engage the bail of the kettle.
The eyes can be raised to any height on the uprights; but when released, the
weight of the kettle will cause the inner edges of the eyes to impinge and retain
them in any desired position.
It will be understood that the base-frame may be made of any length or be
made in parts capable of being joined together, and may be provided with any
suitable number of uprights to enable kettles to be suspended over large fires or
a number of fires when camping out.
In an alternative form, the base-frame is dispensed with, and the uprights
made of sufficient length to be conveniently inserted in the ground. If required,
the uprights may be kept vertical by tie-rods sloping from the upper ends of
the uprights to the ground and fastened to hooks or stakes.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1898.
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Means for Suspending Kettles and the like above
Fires.
I, WILLIAM CASWELL DONICA, of Grayson, Indiana, U.S.A., Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
My invention relates to new and improved devices adapted for suspending one
or more kettles over a fire for heating purposes.

page_text: The object of the invention is to provide standards or uprights between which
a kettle is to be suspended so that a fire may be kindled beneath the pot with
little difficulty and whereby the standards or uprights between which a kettle is
to be suspended will not be liable to become heated to any great extent.
Another object of the invention is to provide a rack for supporting kettles
which may be set up at a moment's notice in an effective manner upon any
character of ground and a pot expeditiously and conveniently suspended from
the uprights or standards of the rack, the said pot being pivotally suspended
from supports adjustable on the uprights.
Another object of the invention is to so construct the clamps to which the pots
are directly connected that the clamps may be quickly adjusted upon the uprights
or standards of the rack, locking themselves thereto automatically the moment
they are released.
Another object of the invention is to construct the rack in such manner that
by employing three standards or uprights kettles may be conveniently supported
each over an independent fire, the rack in its entirety being exceedingly simple,
durable and economic.
One form of the device will be found especially applicable for holding pots
over open grates where their weight upon the coal when placed thereon, in the
ordinary way, tends to deaden the fire.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side view of the improved rack adapted for use on open fire places
or grates, and Fig. 2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved
rack suitable for camping or outdoor purposes, and the kettles suspended there-
from. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the clamp hangers with which
the pots are connected.
The device shewn in Fig. 1 comprises the base 1 of any desired shape, but
preferably rectangular. The base may, if desired. be made in two parts 2, 3
united by pieces of channel iron 4 having perforations near their ends for
screws 5 adapted to enter any of the threaded apertures 6 in the base. This pro-
vision enables the base to be contracted or elongated as desired to suit fireplaces
of different sizes between the hobs.
Uprights on the base carry clamp-hangers 8 (hereinafter more particularly
described) between which a rod 9 extends and carries a hook or hooks 10 to
support the pot 11.
In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a form of the invention suitable for outdoor use
and I have shown three uprights or standards so arranged that two pots may be
suspended, each over an independent fire. The outer uprights 12 are of the same
construction, but the intermediate upright 13 slightly differs in construction
from the outer ones. Each outer upright consists of a straight body-bar having
its lower end outwardly curved to meet legs 14 which are curved from the body
in opposite directions, each leg terminating in a claw-foot 15 whereby the bottom
of the upright may be in a measure anchored to the ground. The intermediate
upright consists of a body, straight throughout its length, and legs 16 which
extend from opposite sides of the body bar in opposite directions to the ground,
terminating in claws 15. Each upright is provided at its upper end with a series
of apertures 17 in order that one end of a brace 18 may be adjustably attached
to the upper portion of an upright, the opposite end of the brace, which is free,
terminates in a hook 19, being adapted to enter the ground.
Each upright is adapted to carry one or more of the clamp-hangers herein-
before referred to. The detail construction of a clamp-hanger is shewn best in
Fig. in which it will be observed that a strip of metal is bent upon itself to
form two parallel members 20 and 21 and an eye 22 at one end. The member 20

page_text: is shorter than the member 21, which is the uppermost member, and the longer
member is provided with a slot 23 of such dimensions that the said slot will
loosely receive the body portion of an upright. The free end of the shorter
member 21 is bent downward at an angle to the under face of the longer mem-
ber 20 to form a lip 24, which, when the hanger is in position on the upright,
will engage with the edge of the upright. Under this construction it will be
observed that the clamp-hangers may be securely held wherever adjusted on an
upright, by frictional contact with said upright.
At the eye portion 22 of each clamp-hanger a hook 25 is pivoted, and the
hooks 25 are adapted to enter the handles of a pot 26, it not being necessary to
provide the pot with a bail. If, however, a bail be used, the rod 9 suspended
between the eyes 22 is used. It will thus be observed that a pot having both of
its handle engaged by the hooks of the clamp-hangers will be pivotally pendant
from said hangers, and the pot will be held some distance from each upright,
permitting a person to readily work around a fire, and build it up from all sides.
Furthermore, as heretofore stated, the uprights may be placed such a distance
from the fire that they will not become unduly heated.
When three uprights are used to support two pots, two clamp hangers aro
located on the central upright, extending from opposite sides thereof, as shewn
in Fig. 3. When two uprights only are used in order to support a single pot,
both uprights will be of the same shape as the outer uprights 12.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is ―
(1) A kettle rack consisting of an extensible fiame, uprights on said frame,
frictional clamp-hangers adjustable on said uprights, a rod suspended between
said clamp-hangers to support a hock or hooks adapted to hold a pot or kettle
all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
(2) A kettle rack having two uprights, a brace pivoted to the upper portion
of each upright and extending respectively outward and downward to engage-
ment with the ground, and a clamp-hanger co-acting with each upright, the
clamp-hangers each consisting in a strip of metal bent to form two parallel mem-
bers, the end of one member having an eye receiving the standard, and the end
of the other member being bent perpendicularly to the first named member so
as to bear against a side edge of the standard, and a hook having an eye received
between the members of the said strip at the point of the bend therein, the hook
being capable of engaging the handle of a pot or the bail of the kettle, or a rod
suspended between the eyes of the clamp-hangers to support books and the bail
of a pot or kettle, all substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1898.
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.