Fuel source combustion assembly and cooking apparatus
AssigneeJebco, Inc.
InventorJames A. Barrow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel source combustion assembly is configured to allow for easy and safe reloading of a pre-ignited fuel source, in particular charcoal, into a cooking apparatus, such as a smoker, barbecue grill, indoor cooker, and the like. The assembly has a housing, to an inside of which a hamper is installed so as to be able to rotate through an opening on an outside wall of the housing. While in the rotated position, hamper is configured to present a rectangular opening, into which the fuel source may be poured. After the hamper is loaded, it can be rotated so as to be back inside of housing to be secured securely (e.g., by an external door).
Claims24
A fuel source combustion assembly for use in a cooking apparatus, the assembly comprising:
- a hamper configured to receive and contain a combustible fuel source therein;
- a housing configured to at least partially surround the hamper, the housing comprising an opening on an external surface thereof, wherein the hamper is accessible via the opening;
- and
- a door disposed on an external surface of the housing and configured to move between an open position and a closed position with respect to the housing and hamper, wherein, when the door is in the closed position, the opening in the housing is substantially entirely covered by the door and, when the door is in the open position, the hamper is accessible to a user through the opening in the housing,
- wherein the hamper is mounted to the housing at one or more hinge points, and
- wherein at least a portion of the hamper is configured to tilt through and out of the opening in the housing by rotating, with respect to the housing, at the one or more hinge points.
A hamper configured to receive and contain a combustible fuel source therein, the hamper comprising:
- a shape of a substantially square or rectangular shaped box with an at least partially open top;
- a bottom with perforations or one or more openings configured for air to flow therethrough to the fuel source and for combustion remnants of the fuel source to pass therethrough out of the hamper;
- four side walls connected to the bottom;
- and
- two hinge pins mounted on the container so the container is rotatably connectable to a cooking apparatus.
A method of loading a combustible fuel source into a cooking apparatus, the method comprising:
- providing a cooking apparatus, which has a fuel source combustion assembly, wherein the fuel source combustion assembly comprises:
- a hamper configured to receive and contain a combustible fuel source;
- and
- a housing configured to at least partially surround the hamper, the housing comprising an opening on an external surface thereof, through which the hamper is accessible;
- rotating or tilting the hamper from a first position to a second position, wherein the hamper, during the rotating or tilting, passes at least partially through and out of the opening by rotating or tilting about a hinge axis defined by one or more hinge points by which the hamper is rotatably connected to the housing;
- loading the combustible fuel source into the hamper;
- and
- rotating or tilting the hamper from the second position to the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.