Technical Field

The invention relates to a collapsible campfϊre grill which from a use position can be collapsed into a transportable position, said campfϊre grill including two tubes ex¬ tending substantially parallel to one another while interspaced in the use position, as well as a plurality of crossbars including their respective end members and extending between the two tubes in the use position, where the two end members of each crossbar are received in the interior of each tube through a slot in the tube wall, said slot in turn extending in the longitudinal direction of said tube and being of a width slightly larger than the thickness of the crossbar, and where the end members include a projecting stopping means preventing the end member from leaving the interior of the tube, said campfϊre grill being collapsed into a compact state in the transportable position in which the two tubes extend parallel to one another while interspaced a short distance from one another.

Background Art

Collapsible campfire grills are used by outdoor persons who want to bring along a grill or a campfϊre grill for cooking on an open fire under primitive outdoor circum¬ stances. Collapsible campfϊre grills are of particular interest to outdoor backpacking, walking, biking, kayaking or canoeing persons. From the collapsed transportable po¬ sition the campfϊre grill can be unfolded into a use position and placed over hot coals or an open fire so as thereby be used as a support for pots, pans or kettles or be used as a grill for grilling articles of food.

US 3,636,938 discloses a collapsible grill including two tubular members which in the use position extend essentially parallel to one another while interspaced, as well as a plurality of bar members which in the use position extend between said two tu¬ bular members. The bar members are received in holes in the walls of the tubular members, and the campfire grill is locked in the use position by means of two lock¬ ing bars, one locking bar extending completely through the tubular members and be¬ ing provided with a thread, where a wing nut is screwed onto said thread. This camp- fire grill is encumbered wit the draw-back that the individual members, viz. the lon- gitudinal bars, the transverse bars and the locking bars are separate members which must be assembled when the campfire grill is to be converted from the transportable position into the use position.

US 3,461,634 discloses a campfire grill of the above type. The end members of the crossbars are here interconnected by means of chain links. When the campfire grill is to be converted from the use position into the transportable position, the intercon¬ nected crossbars can be displaced along the slots and out of the tubes, assembled into a bundle and arranged in parallel together with the longitudinal bars. This structure is encumbered with the draw-backs that it is relatively complicated due to the chain links, and it is rather cost-intensive to produce.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved campfire grill of the above type.

The object of the invention is achieved by the slot being dimensioned in such a man¬ ner relative to the crossbars that said crossbars during the collapsing from the use position into the transportable position can be turned about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the campfire grill and be pushed into the interior of the tubes. The re¬ sulting campfire grill is extremely compact in the transportable position, and it can be converted from the use position into the transportable position and vice versa in a very fast and simple manner.

According to an embodiment, the tubes present a round cross section. According to a preferred embodiment, the stopping means is formed by a thickened member which is preferably ball-shaped or annular and which extend along the pe¬ riphery of the end member. As a result it is efficiently ensured that the end member remains in the interior of the tube.

According to a preferred embodiment, the distance between the free end of the end member and the opposite side of the associated stopping means is slightly smaller than the width of the interior of the tube when seen in the longitudinal direction of the crossbar. In this manner the distance between the tubes is maintained in the use position of the campfire grill.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the slot includes a locking area for each crossbar, said locking area extending from the long side of the slot in the circumfer¬ ential direction of the tube, whereby the end member of the associated crossbar can be received in said locking area in the use position. As a result, each crossbar can be locked in the use position in an efficient manner.

According to a further, preferred embodiment, each tube includes a separate slot for one end member of each crossbar, said slots being aligned. In this manner a very easy collapsing and unfolding is ensured between the use position and the transport¬ able position. In addition, the resulting tubes present an increased strength.

According to a preferred embodiment, the campfire grill includes locking means preventing a rotation of the tubes about their respective axes in the use position. As the distance between the tip of the end member and the opposite side of the stopping means is only slightly smaller than the internal width of the tube, said end member can only be caused to leave the locking area by way of rotation. As the locking means prevent such a rotation of the tube, the crossbars are efficiently locked rela¬ tive to the tubes in the use position. The locking means include advantageously at least one transverse locking rod and two opposing locking openings in the wall of both tubes, whereby the locking open¬ ings in the two tubes in the use position of the campfire grill are aligned and present a cross section corresponding to the external cross section of the locking rod, said locking rod in the use position extending through the locking openings in both tubes. Such an embodiment ensures in a particularly simple and inexpensive manner a locking against a parallel displacement and rotation of the tubes. The campfire grill includes preferably two locking rods and associated locking openings. The two lock¬ ing rods are preferably arranged at a distance from one another in the use position, and most advantageously they are arranged at opposite ends of the campfire grill. The locking rod(s) and the locking openings can, if desired, present identical po¬ lygonal cross sections, whereby it is ensured that the tubes can turn about the locking rod.

According to a preferred embodiment the locking areas are found in the same plane as the locking openings. In addition to a safe locking it is furthermore ensured that the locking rods are arranged on the same plane as the crossbars, and consequently they can determine the total area of the campfire grill together with the crossbars.

Each slot may according to the invention include an insertion portion dimensioned in such a manner that it allows passage of the stopping means. As a result, the campfire grill can be easily dismantled into individual members so as to allow a cleaning thereof. In addition, the individual members of the campfire grill and consequently the total weight thereof can be distributed to several persons who are for instance hiking together.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the crossbars present a round cross sec¬ tion. The free ends of the end members of the crossbars are advantageously pointed. Alternatively, they can be rounded. The tubes, the crossbars and/or the locking rods can be made of titanium, an alumin¬ ium alloy or stainless steel.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying draw¬ ings, in which

Fig. 1 is a top view of a collapsible campfire grill according to the invention and in- eluding two tubes and a plurality of crossbars,

Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of one tube,

Fig. 3 is a side view of a crossbar,

Fig. 4 is a side view of a locking rod,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 7 is a top view of the campfire grill during the collapsing from the use position into a transportable position, and

Fig. 8 is a top view of the collapsed campfire grill.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

The campfire grill according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 includes two parallel, interspaced tubes 2 interconnected by means of five crossbars 3 and two locking rods 6. The five crossbars 3 and the two locking rods 6 of the illustrated embodiment pre- sent a round cross section and are arranged on the same plane so as to form a grid surface. Cooking utensils or articles of food can then be placed on the grid surface when the campfire grill has been placed over an open fire or on hot coals.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of one of the tubes 2, said view showing a slot 4 for receiving the end member 7 of a crossbar 3, cf. Fig. 3, and a locking opening 8 for receiving a locking rod 6. The slot 4 establishes a connection between the outer side and the interior of the tube 2. Fig. 2 shows only one slot 4, but a total of five slots are provided, said five slots extending in the longitudinal direction of the tube 2 and be- ing aligned on the line Ll. The slot 4 includes a locking area 9 extending from one long side of the slot 4 in the circumferential direction of the tube at the end of said slot. At the opposite end, the slot 4 includes an insertion portion 10 allowing inser¬ tion of the end member 7 of the crossbar, cf. Fig. 3. The width w of the slot is slightly larger than the diameter of the crossbar 3. The locking area 9 of the slot 4 is of a width corresponding to the remaining portion of said slot and being aligned with the locking opening 8 shown in Fig. 2 on the line L2. A corresponding locking open¬ ing is provided on the diametrically opposite side of the tube in such a manner that the locking rod 6 can be passed completely through the tube 8. A pair of locking openings 8 are, of course, provided for each locking rod 6. In the use position, the pair of openings 8 of the two tubes 2 are aligned on the line L3, cf. Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a crossbar 3. This crossbar 3 includes two end members 7, which in¬ clude their respective ball-shaped stopping means 5 at a distance from the free end. The diameter of the stopping means 5 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the in- sertion portion 10. At its free end, each end member 7 is provided with a tapered tip 11. The distance between the tip 11 and the opposite side of the stopping means 5 corresponds almost to the internal diameter of the tube 2. When the campfire grill is to be assembled, the end member 7 with the stopping means 5 is moved into the inte¬ rior of the tube 2 through the insertion portion 10. Then the tube 2 is turned with the result that the crossbar 3 is moved downwards into the portion of the slot extending parallel to the axis of the tube 2. The latter procedure is followed with respect to all the crossbars 3 and both tubes 2. Then the crossbars are moved to the opposite end of the slot 4 and downwards into the locking area 9 by turning the tube 2. Subse¬ quently, the two locking rods 6 are pushed through the two pairs of locking openings 8 with the result that the tubes 2 are locked against a turning about their respective axes and a parallel displacement relative to one another. As a result, the campfire grill is locked in the use position and is ready for use.

Fig. 4 shows a locking rod 6. This locking rod 6 includes a head 12 at one end and can be tapered at the opposite end 11 so as to facilitate the insertion into the locking openings 8.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in Fig. 1 and showing how the end member 7 of the crossbar 3 is positioned inside the tube 2 in the use position. The stopping means 5 prevents the end member 7 from leaving the interior of the tube as the diameter of said stopping means 5 is larger than the width of the locking area 9 of the slot 4. The distance between the tip 11 and the opposite side of the stopping means 5 corresponds to the internal diameter of the tube 2. In this manner the distance between the tubes 2 is maintained, and the tube 2 is prevented from turning about its own axis relative to the crossbar 3. As a result, the position of the crossbar 3 is ensured in the locking area 9 of the slot. Here the stopping means 5 is ball-shaped, but it can also be annular or have any desired shape.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 1 and showing how the locking rod 6 extends through the locking openings 8 in one tube 2. The head 12 of the locking rod presents a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the locking openings 8 and it abuts the outer side of the tube 2.

Fig. 7 shows the campfire grill 1 during the collapsing from the use position and into the transportable position. In the use position shown in Fig. 1 , the locking rods 6 are removed from the locking openings 8 of the tubes 2. Then the tubes are turned about the longitudinal axis in such a manner that the crossbars are displaced away from the locking area 9 of the slot. Subsequently, the two tubes are displaced parallel to one another with the result that the crossbars 3 are turned about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the campfire grill. The latter procedure is allowed by the area of the slot 4 in the longitudinal direction of the tubes 2. At the same time as the two tubes are displaced parallel to one another they are caused to approach one another because the crossbars 3 are inserted into the interior of the tubes 2. At a time the crossbars 3 have been turned so much relative to the tubes 2 that said tubes can be redisplaced parallel to one another with the result that they are predominantly positioned oppo¬ site one another and abutting one another, cf. Fig. 8. In the transportable position shown in Fig. 8, the campfire grill takes up very little room and can be placed, op¬ tionally together with the locking rods 6, in a sleeve of fabric so as to be transported. If desired, the locking rods 6 can be arranged inside the tubes 2 through axial open¬ ings in said tubes 2.

As an alternative, the campfire grill can be completely dismantled into individual members by pulling out the end members 7 of the crossbars 3 through the insertion openings 10 so as to allow a cleaning thereof.

The illustrated embodiment is nothing but an example. The locking means can be shaped in many different ways. In order to secure the campfire grill further in the use position, the locking rod 6 can be provided with a thread at the end opposite the head 12. A wing nut can for instance be screwed onto the thread of the locking rod so as to prevent said locking rod from falling out of the locking openings 8.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tubes 2 include a slot 4 for each crossbar 3. Each tube 2 can optionally be provided with a continuous slot. This slot is provided with a locking area 9 for each crossbar 3 in the circumferential direction of the tube 2. When the slot extends to the end of the tube, the campfire grill can be dismantled into individual members by pulling the crossbars 3 out of the slot at the end of the tube. As an alternative, the continuous slot can be provided with a single insertion portion corresponding to the portion shown in Fig. 2.