Igniter for charcoal grill

An igniter for a bed of charcoal in combination with a charcoal grill, comprising:

• a housing having a bowl and a cover;
• a horizontal first grid in said bowl for supporting food;
• a horizontal second grid in said bowl below said first grid for supporting the charcoal;
• an opening within said bowl below said second grid;
• a substantially horizontal gas burner tube passing through said opening and having one end closed and connected to an inner surface of said bowl below said second grid and an opposite end located outside said bowl,
• said tube having
• at least one inlet for air in said tube located outside said bowl adjacent said opposite end and
• at least one outlet for the ignited gas located inside said bowl adjacent said one end,
• said outlet being at least two generally horizontal diametrically positioned elongated slots;
• venturi means between said inlet and said outlet;
• a pressurized gas fuel source connected to said opposite end of said tube with a shut-off valve interposed therebetween;
• and,
• ignition means having actuating means, an electrode generating assembly and a spark-emitting electrode, said actuating means and said electrode generating assembly being positioned outside said housing and said electrode being positioned in said tube and entering said tube outside said housing for igniting gases flowing through said tube between said venturi means and said elongate slots.

An igniter for a bed of charcoal in combination with a charcoal grill, comprising:

• a housing having a bowl and a cover;
• a horizontal first grid in said bowl for supporting food;
• a horizontal second grid in said bowl below said first grid for supporting the charcoal;
• an opening within said bowl below the grid;
• a substantially horizontal gas burner tube passing through said opening and having one end closed and cantilevered into said bowl below said second grid and an opposite end located outside said bowl,
• said tube having
• at least one inlet for air in said tube located outside said bowl adjacent said opposite end and
• at least one outlet for the ignited gas located inside said bowl adjacent said one end,
• venturi means between said inlet and said outlet;
• a pressurized gas fuel source connected to said opposite end of said tube;
• and,
• ignition means having actuating means, an electrode generating assembly and a spark-emitting electrode, said actuating means and said electrode generating assembly being positioned outside said housing and said electrode being positioned in said tube and entering said tube outside said housing for igniting gases flowing through said tube between said venturi means and said outlet.

An igniter for a bed of charcoal, said charcoal being supported on a substantially horizontal grid located within a bowl, comprising:

• an opening within the bowl below the grid;
• a substantially horizontal gas burner tube passing through said opening and having one end cantilevered into the bowl below the grid and an opposite end located outside the bowl,
• said tube extending approximately half-way into said housing and having
• a first opening therein defining at least one inlet for air into said tube located outside the bowl adjacent said opposite end and
• a second opening therein defining at least one outlet for the ignited gas located inside the bowl adjacent said one end,
• a pinched free end,
• venturi means between said first and second openings and said tube being connected to the bowl by an exterior bracket,
• said bracket holding and maintaining said tube in a substantially horizontal position, said bracket including first and second connecting pieces,
• said first piece being generally Z-shaped and having an upper inclined portion fastened to the bowl, a main portion with an aperture for receiving said tube and a substantially perpendicular base portion for cooperating with said second piece,
• said second piece being generally U-shaped and having an arcuate portion for forming a channel for abutment with said tube and two outwardly extending flanges for cooperating with said first piece;
• a pressurized gas fuel source connected to said opposite end of said tube;
• and,
• ignition means including a spark emitting electrode extending into said tube for igniting gases flowing through said tube between said venturi means and said second set of openings.

An igniter for a bed of charcoal, said charcoal being supported on a substantially horizontal grid located within a bowl, comprising:

• an opening within the bowl below the grid;
• a gas burner tube passing through said opening in the bowl,
• said tube having
• an air inlet therein adjacent a first end outside the housing,
• an air outlet therein inside the bowl and venturi means between said inlet and said outlet;
• a pressurized gas fuel source connected to said first end of said tube with a shut-off valve interposed therebetween;
• connection means for connecting and holding said tube to the bowl in a substantially horizontal position spaced below the horizontal grid, said bracket including two connecting pieces,
• a first piece of said connecting pieces being generally Z-shaped and having an upper inclined portion fastened to the bowl, a main portion with an aperture for receiving said tube and a substantially perpendicular base portion for cooperating with a second piece of said connecting pieces;
• said second piece of said connecting pieces being generally U-shaped and having an arcuate portion for forming a channel for abutment with said tube and two outwardly-extending flanges for cooperating with said first piece of said connecting pieces;
• and,
• ignition means including a spark emitting electrode extending into said tube between said venturi means and said outlet for igniting gases flowing through said tube.

An igniter for a bed of charcoal, said charcoal being supported on a substantially horizontal grid located within a bowl, comprising:

• an opening within the bowl below the grid;
• a gas burner tube passing through said opening in the bowl,
• said tube having
• a set of air inlets therein adjacent a first end outside the housing,
• at least two diametrically located generally horizontal outlets therein inside the bowl and
• venturi means between said inlets and said outlets;
• a pressurized gas fuel source connected to said first end of said tube with a shut-off valve interposed therebetween;
• connection means for connecting and holding said tube to the bowl in a substantially horizontal position spaced below the horizontal grid, said connection means including first and second connecting pieces,
• said first piece being generally Z-shaped and having an upper inclined portion fastened to the bowl, a main portion with an aperture for receiving said tube and a substantially perpendicular base portion for cooperating with said second piece,
• said second piece being generally U-shaped and having an arcuate portion for forming a channel for abutment with said tube and two outwardly extending flanges for cooperating with said first piece;
• and,
• ignition means including a spark emitting electrode extending into said tube between said venturi means and said second set of openings for igniting gases flowing through said tube.

A gas igniter in combination with a charcoal grill comprising:

• a grill housing having substantially horizontal charcoal support grid in a lower section thereof;
• a food support grid located above said charcoal support grid;
• a housing opening within said grill housing below said charcoal support grid;
• a burner tube passing through said housing opening and having an open, exposed first end outside said grill housing and a closed second end within said grill housing,
• said tube extending substantially horizontal across said grill housing below said charcoal support grid,
• said tube further having a first air intake opening means therein outside said grill housing adjacent said first end for the inlet of air into said tube, a second opening means therein inside said grill housing adjacent said second end for defining outlets for the ignited gas, and venturi means between said first opening means and said second opening means, said second opening means being at least diametrically located generally horizontal slots;
• a pressurized gas source connected to said first end of said tube;
• a shut-off valve interposed between said gas source and said burner tube;
• connection means for connecting and holding said tube to the bowl in a substantially horizontal position spaced below the horizontal grid;
• ignition means having actuating means, an electrode generating assembly and a spark-emitting electrode, said actuating means and said electrode generating assembly being positioned outside said housing and said electrode being positioned in said tubes between said venturi means and said slots and entering said tube outside said housing for igniting gases flowing through said tube;
• and,
• a timer cooperating with said ignition means.