Tool for cleaning cooking grates

A tool for cleaning cooking grates, the cooking grates including a plurality of substantially parallel grate members, the tool comprising:

• a plate having sides and an edge extending along each of the sides, the sides including a primary side with a primary side edge, portions of the primary side edge being substantially aligned along a primary extent with a primary extent axis;
• a plurality of elongated primary scraping slots formed in the plate, the scraping slots being formed by the primary side edge, the primary scraping slots having end portions with each end portion being elongated along an end portion axis, the end portions being closed, each of the scraping slots including end edge portions forming ends of the end portions of the scraping slots, each of the scraping slots having side edge portions forming sides of the scraping slots;
• a plurality of auxiliary entry slots configured to permit movement of grate members into the primary scraping slots, at least one of the entry slots being in communication with a said scraping slot and the primary side, a said entry slot intersecting a said primary scraping slot, the auxiliary entry slots extending substantially perpendicular to the primary extent axis of the primary extent of the primary side edge;
• wherein the end edge portions of the primary scraping slots are similarly shaped such that each end edge portion is able to scrape an opposite surface of the grate members without removing the grate member from the primary scraping slot;
• wherein the end portion axis of each of the end portions of the primary scraping slots being oriented substantially perpendicular to the primary extent axis of the primary extent of the primary side edge such that movement of a said grate member into contact with each of the end edge portions of a said primary scraping slot occurs in a direction oriented substantially perpendicular to primary extent axis of the primary extent;
• and
• wherein a said primary scraping slot is elongated along a first axis and an associated said auxiliary entry slot is elongated along a second axis, the first axis and the second axis being oriented substantially parallel to each other and extending substantially perpendicular to the primary extent axis of the primary extent of the primary side edge.