The present invention relates to a bracket, especially for use in a barbecue.

Previously, it has been necessary for people who wish to have a barbecue in their garden to build it from basic components, such as bricks, mortar and concrete sheets or blocks, and then permanently to. fix into the structure, or to have loosely resting on top of the structure, means for supporting a grill. This is a time-consuming process and means that such barbecues are not easily assembled by people who are not familiar with various building techniques, such as bricklaying, or do not have knowledge or experience of specialist tools.

It also results in the position of the grill being either permanently set or loosely resting with little or no adjustment in-between without building complicated structures in the barbecue and without the use of specialist tools. Once the grill is in place it is also then very difficult to quickly and easily adjust the level of parts of the grill. This eliminates any option over the positioning of the food on the grill relative to the fire so that it may be cooked too quickly or slowly depending on the intensity of the fire. This results in a time- consuming and often inaccurate performed need to control the intensity of the fire below.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a cheap and easy-to-use bracket for use primarily, but not exclusively, with a barbecue that does not require any specialist tools or necessitate a fixing agent for its incorporation.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a bracket for use, but not exclusively, with a grill of a barbecue, which bracket comprises at least one rearward engaging member which can be incorporated into one or more structural layers of a wall with or without the need for fixing agents and has a front part with at least one forwardly extending support means.

This provides the advantage that the bracket can be fixed in multiple locations by the builder of the barbecue without the need for expensive tools and without specifically requiring supplementary fixing agents . Preferably, the rearwardly engaging member is a panel.

This provides the advantage that the sides of the panel contact the sides of the bricks between which it can be placed to provide extra support by further restricting the lateral movement of the bracket.

Advantageously the panel has at least one cut-out section for encompassing a brick.

This provides the advantage that it allows the rearward panel to engage more than one layer of bricks, giving greater horizontal stability to the bracket when in use and supporting a grill.

Preferably, the front panel has further cut-out sections not for encompassing a brick.

This provides the advantage that it allows the bracket to engage with a fixing agent, should such an agent be used, to provide supplementary vertical stability in use.

Advantageously, the further cut-out sections are circular. Preferably, the front part is a panel.

This provides the advantage that it allows different constructions of bracket to be used.

Preferably, more than one support means is attached to the front part.

This provides the advantage that the user can place the support means in different positions in a spaced relationship to the surface of the fire so that food can be cooked with different heats during the same cooking period.

Advantageously, the support means are separate entities that can be attached to the panel.

Preferably the support means are attached to the bracket via welding.

More preferably the support means are attached to the bracket via spot welding. Advantageously, the support means are attached to the front part of the bracket by separate fixing means .

This allows the parts to be manufactured independently from one another and the number of brackets to be controlled.

Preferably the fixing means are rivets.

In an alternative preferred embodiment the fixing means are screws.

This allows the support means to be fixed onto the front part by use of a screwdriver or other commonly available and easily used tool.

Examples of a bracket made in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view from the front of a left-hand bracket; Figure 2 shows a perspective view from the front of a right-hand bracket; Figure 3 shows a perspective view from the front of a left-hand bracket with circular cut-out sections; and Figure 4 shows a perspective view from the front of a right-hand bracket with circular cut-out sections.

Figure 1 shows a left-hand bracket 10 in an assembled form comprising a rear panel 12 with a cut-out section in the middle equidistant from the top and bottom extending from the rearmost part towards, but not meeting, a front panel 14. Rear panel 12 is attached at one vertical end over the entire of the vertical height to front panel 14. The front panel 14 extends at a 90-degree angle to the rear panel 12 sufficiently to sustain three brackets 16. The brackets 16 are fixed via a base plate 22 at the vertical upwardly extreme end of panel 14. The base plate 22 is attached through its middle to the front panel 14 by two vertically distanced fixing means 26 through two vertically spaced holes 24 in the base plate and corresponding holes (not shown) in the front panel 14, the first of the brackets being a small distance form the upper-most end and the second and third being positioned sequentially and equidistant below the first. Each bracket 16 comprises a base plate 22 to the front panel 14, and a forwardly extending plate 20 projecting from the top vertical end of the base plate 22. At the other end of the extending plate 20 to the base plate 22 is an upwardly extending plate 18. The upwardly extending plate has a square shape to effectively form a retaining lip.

Figure 2 shows a right-hand bracket 20 that is a mirror image of the left-hand bracket 10.

Figure 3 shows a right-hand bracket 40 with a cut out circular section 42 in the centre of the uppermost portion of the panel. There is a second circular cut-out section 44 in the centre of the bottom portion of the panel.

Figure 4 shows a right-hand bracket 50 that is a mirror image of the left-hand bracket 40.

It will be further apparent that the structural components fitted together with interengageable elements as described herein are not only applicable to the construction of barbecues, but can be readily applied to other simple structures.