Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02828459 2013-09-23
HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE FIRE PIT GRATE ASSEMBLY
WHOLLY CARRIED BY A FIRE PIT RING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to fire pits, particularly in campgrounds, supplied
with a heavy
cylindrical fire pit ring. More particularly this invention relates to a
height adjustable fire pit
grate assembly which is quickly installed on, and removed from. a top portion
of the
cylindrical fire pit ring by which it is wholly supported.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The applicants are frequent campers in the numerous Provincial Parks in
Canada.
Generally, campsites in these government operated parks include a fire pit
having a heavy
cylindrical fire pit ring. These fire pits may include a wide spaced grate
which is positioned on
a top end portion of the heavy cylindrical fire pit ring. These cylindrical
rings sometimes
include a top rim. One problem with this arrangement is that the wide spaced
grate, because of
the misalignment of the cylindrical ring by which it is supported, is almost
never horizontal. If
the wide spaced grate is used to support a frying pan used to cook eggs, the
eggs invariably
slide to the lowest side corner portion of the frying pan where they cook in a
lump. Another
problem with using the supplied wide spaced grate is that it cannot be
adjusted for height
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above the fire. Usually a fire must be lit In the morning before breakfast can
be cooked.
Initially the fire supplies minimal heat, then it supplies intense heat,
before it finally burns to
coals which then supply a uniform and steady, but a relatively lower quantity
of heat. When
using a fire to cook, it is desirable to have a grate which can be
conveniently adjusted for
height. When their is a bright flame, the grate is positioned higher above the
flame. When
there are coals, the grate is positioned at a lower level above the low, but
steady heat generated
by the burning coals.
There are fire pit grates available which comprise a stake or post which is
driven into
the ground. To use these a camper must carry a mallet. Sometimes the ground is
rocky and it
is difficult to drive the post sufficiently into the ground. The post must be
driven deep enough
in order to resist the twisting moment caused by a load on the grate, entirely
on one side of the
post. When the camping is over the post must be pulled from the ground. A more
convenient
grate assembly is needed. One that can be more conveniently installed, and one
that can more
easily be removed.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to disclose a more convenient grate
assembly. A grate
assembly that doesn't have a post which needs to be deeply driven into the
ground with a
mallet. A grate assembly that can be easily removed without pulling a deeply
embedded post
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from the ground. It is an object of this invention to disclose a grate
assembly which is wholly
carried by a fire pit ring, and which can be leveled to a horizontal position
even when s top side
of the fire pit ring is substantially deviated from a horizontal plane. It is
yet a further object of
this invention to disclose a fire pit grate assembly which can be installed,
without the need for
any tools, into a sturdy operable position, quickly, conveniently, and without
any physical
exertion.
One aspect of this invention provides for a height adjustable grate assembly
for use
over a fire, surrounded by a cylindrical fire pit ring, comprising: a) an
inverted U shaped
clamp having an inner and an outer opposite side, said opposite sides
generally parallel to each
other, and having a central portion extending between, and connecting the two
opposite side
portions, wherein the outer opposite side portion further comprises a
centrally positioned
screwed hole and a screw turned therein, to thereby tighten the clamp on the
fire pit ring, and
wherein an end portion of the central portion also has a centrally positioned
screwed hole and a
screw turned therein, to level the clamp when it is seated on the cylindrical
fire pit ring if the
ring thereunder is not level; b) a post attached to the clamp, extending
upwardly therefrom;
and, c) a grate, surrounded by a frame, said frame attached to, and carried by
a cylindrical tube,
sized to closely fit over the post, and further comprising grate-post
attachment means to clamp
the grate to the post at a preferred height. After the inverted U shaped clamp
is seated on a top
portion of the cylindrical fire pit ring, and leveled using the screw in an
end portion of a central
portion of the inverted U shaped clamp, the grate can be maintained in a
generally horizontal
position, at a variably selected height above the fire.
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In a preferred aspect of this invention the grate assembly has a grate-post
attachment
means comprises a screwed hole and tube screw extending through a central
portion of the tube
carrying the grate, positioned on a tube side portion generally opposite to
the grate for
accessability, to thereby secure the grate at a preferred height above the
fire.
Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become
apparent to
those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with
the accompanying
drawings.
FIGURES OF THE INVENTION
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a height adjustable fire pit grate assembly
wholly
carried by a cylindrical fire pit ring.
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a the U shaped clamp shown seated
on a
top portion of the cylindrical fire pit ring shown in figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a screw having a head portion which
comprises a 90
degree bend in the shaft of the screw to facilitate finger only tightening.
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The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific
embodiments
of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the
same reference
numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It
should be noted that
such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to figure 1 we have a
perspective
view of a height adjustable fire pit grate assembly 20 wholly carried by a
cylindrical fire pit
ring 18. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a the U shaped clamp 22
shown seated on
a top portion of the cylindrical fire pit ring 18 shown in figure 1. Most
generally, a height
adjustable grate assembly 20 for use over a fire 16, surrounded by a
cylindrical fire pit ring 18,
comprises: a) an inverted U shaped clamp 22 having an inner and an outer
opposite side, said
opposite sides generally parallel to each other, and having a central portion
extending between,
and connecting the two opposite side portions, wherein the outer opposite side
portion further
comprises a centrally positioned screwed hole 24 and a screw 26 turned
therein, to thereby
tighten the clamp 22 on the fire pit ring 18, and wherein an end portion of
the central portion of
the clamp 22 also has a centrally positioned screwed hole and a screw turned
therein, to level
the clamp 22 when it is seated on the cylindrical fire pit ring 18 if the ring
thereunder is not
level; b) a post 28 attached to the clamp 22, extending upwardly therefrom;
and, c) a grate 30,
surrounded by a frame 32, said frame 32 attached to, and carried by a
cylindrical tube 34, sized
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to closely fit over the the post 32, and further comprising grate-post
attachment means 36 to
clamp the grate 30 to the post 28 at a preferred height. After the inverted U
shaped clamp 22 is
seated on a top portion of the cylindrical fire pit ring 18, and leveled using
the screw 26 in an
end portion of a central portion of the inverted U shaped clamp 22, the grate
30 can be
maintained in a generally horizontal position, at a variably selected height
above the fire 16.
In a preferred aspect of this invention the grate assembly 20 has a grate-post
attachment means 36 which comprises a screwed hole 38 and tube screw 26
extending through
a central portion of the tube 34 carrying the grate 30, positioned on a tube
side portion
generally opposite to the grate 30 for accessability, to thereby secure the
grate 30 at a preferred
height above the fire 16. In one embodiment of the invention the height
adjustable grate
assembly 20 further comprises a rectangular plate 40 to which the post 28 is
first attached and
to which in turn is attached to the U shaped clamp 22.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a screw 26 having a head portion which
comprises a
90 degree bend in the shaft of the screw to facilitate finger only tightening.
Most preferably
the screws 26 have a head end portion which is adapted to be turned and
tightened by fingers,
without the use of any tool.
In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the central portion of the
clamp 22
has sufficient width to allow the clamp 22 to slide down over a fire pit ring
having a top rim
19, and wherein the outer side portion of the clamp 22 has three screwed holes
24 each having
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a tightening screw 26 therein, and wherein two of the holes 24 are laterally
spaced from each
other on a top side portion of the outer side of the clamp 22, and wherein the
other screwed
hole and screw 26 is centrally positioned on a lower side portion of the outer
side Of the clamp
22. Most preferably the other inner side portion of the clamp 22 also has
three similarly
positioned screwed holes 24 and screws 26 therein. Most preferably the central
portion of the
clamp 22 has two screwed holes 24 and screws 26, each centrally positioned on
an opposite
end portion of the central portion of the clamp 22.
The inverted U shaped clamp 22 has been fabricated with 3/16" thick plate
steel. The
fabricated clamp sized generally 3" x 3" x 2" thick, was found to be
sufficient in size to firmly
hold the height adjustable fire grate wholly on a top portion of the
cylindrical ring. The U
shaped clamp 22 was fabricated with a thickness of 2" to accommodate a lip 19
on a top
portion of the cylindrical fire pit ring 18.
A general method of using the height adjustable grate assembly comprises the
following steps: a) positioning the inverted U shaped clamp 22 on and over a
top side portion
of the fire pit ring 18; b) leveling the clamp 22 by adjusting the two screws
26 which extend
through the central portion of the clamp 22; c) fully tightening all of the
screws 26 on the
outer side portion and inner side portion of the clamp 26 so that the clamp 22
is tightly held on
the fire pit ring 18; d) sliding the tube 34 carrying the grate 30 over the
post 28 and moving
the grate 30 down to a selected height above the fire 16 and then, e)
tightening the tube screw
26 sufficiently to hold and maintain the grate 30 at the selected height above
the fire 16. A
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more particular method specifies that after all of the screws 26 in the side
portions of the clamp
22 are first snugged, rechecking the level of the clamp 22 to ensure it has
remained level before
fully tightening all of the screws 26 in the side portions of the clamp 22.
While the invention has been described with preferred specific embodiments
thereof,
it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not
to limit the scope of
the invention, which is defined by the following claims.
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