Portable rotisserie rack

Abstract

A portable rotisserie rack for suspending and rotating meat, potatoes or other food next to a wood furnace, campfire or other source of cooking heat. In a preferred embodiment the portable rotisserie rack is characterized by a rack frame which is typically height-adjustable and constructed of square tubing and includes a pair of T-shaped frame base members, a pair of vertical frame members adjustably extendible from the frame base members, respectively, and a top frame member adjustably extendible from the vertical frame members. A rotisserie motor is mounted on the top frame member, and a heat shield is typically provided on the rack frame for substantially shielding and protecting the rotisserie motor from the heat source. A rotisserie shaft extends downwardly from the rotisserie motor and typically through a bearing provided in the top frame member, and a food cage of selected design is suspended from the bottom end of the rotisserie shaft for containing the food. As the suspended food cage is slowly rotated adjacent to the furnace, fire or other heat source by operation of the rotisserie motor, the meat, potatoes or other food slowly, thoroughly and uniformly cooks in the food cage. In another embodiment, the rack frame is adapted for suspending the rotisserie shaft in a vertical configuration and the food cage on the shaft, or supporting the rotisserie shaft in a horizontal configuration and mounting a pair of meat prongs thereon for engaging the food.

Having described my invention with the particularity set forth above, what is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A rotisserie rack for rotating food next to a source of cooking heat, comprising a rack frame; a rotisserie motor carried by said rack frame; and a food container for the food carried by said rotisserie motor next to the source of heat, whereby the food cooks as said food container is rotated next to the source of heat, responsive to operation of said rotisserie motor.  
     
     
         2 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 1    wherein said food container is adjustable with respect to the source of heat.  
     
     
         3 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 1    comprising a heat shield carried by said rack frame for substantially shielding said rotisserie motor from the source of heat.  
     
     
         4 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 3    wherein said food container is adjustable with respect to the source of heat.  
     
     
         5 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 1    comprising a rotisserie shaft engaging said rotisserie motor and wherein said food container is carried by said rotisserie shaft.  
     
     
         6 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 5    wherein said food container is adjustable with respect to the source of heat.  
     
     
         7 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 6    comprising a heat shield carried by said rack frame for substantially shielding said rotisserie motor from the source of heat.  
     
     
         8 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 1    comprising a motor support mounted on said rack frame and wherein said rotisserie motor is mounted on said motor support.  
     
     
         9 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 8    wherein said food container is adjustable with respect to the source of heat.  
     
     
         10 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 9    comprising a heat shield carried by said rack frame for substantially shielding said rotisserie motor from the source of heat.  
     
     
         11 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 10    comprising a rotisserie shaft engaging said rotisserie motor and wherein said food container is carried by said rotisserie shaft.  
     
     
         12 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 11    comprising a heat shield carried by said frame for substantially shielding said rotisserie motor from the source of heat.  
     
     
         13 . A rotisserie rack for suspending and rotating food next to a source of cooking heat, comprising a height-adjustable rack frame, said rack frame comprising a pair of frame base members, a pair of vertical frame members carried by said pair of frame base members, respectively, and a top frame member vertically adjustably carried by said pair of vertical frame members, respectively; a rotisserie motor carried by said top frame member of said rack frame; and a food container for the food suspended from said rotisserie motor next to the source of heat, whereby the food cooks as said food container is rotated next to the source of heat, responsive to operation of said rotisserie motor.  
     
     
         14 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 13    comprising a rotisserie shaft engaging said rotisserie motor and wherein said food container is suspended from said rotisserie shaft.  
     
     
         15 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 14    comprising a heat shield provided on said rack frame for substantially shielding said rotisserie motor from the source of heat.  
     
     
         16 . A rotisserie rack for suspending and rotating food next to a source of cooking heat, comprising a height-adjustable rack frame, said rack frame comprising a pair of frame base members, a pair of vertical frame members vertically adjustably carried by said pair of frame base members, respectively, and a top frame member vertically adjustably carried by said pair of vertical frame members, respectively; a motor support carried by one of said vertical frame members of said rack frame; a rotisserie motor carried by said motor support; a rotisserie shaft engaging said rotisserie motor, said rotisserie shaft extending substantially horizontally to the other one of said vertical frame members for rotation on said vertical frame members and carrying meat; and a heat shield provided on said rack frame for substantially shielding said rotisserie motor from the source of heat whereby the food cooks as said rotisserie shaft is rotated next to the source of heat, responsive to operation of said rotisserie motor.  
     
     
         17 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 16    comprising a meat prong assembly provided on said rotisserie shaft for engaging the meat.  
     
     
         18 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 16    comprising a heat shield provided on said one of said vertical frame members for substantially shielding said rotisserie motor from the source of heat.  
     
     
         19 . The rotisserie rack of    claim 16    comprising: 
 (a) a meat prong assembly provided on said rotisserie shaft for engaging the meat; and  
 (b) a heat shield provided on said one of said vertical frame members for substantially shielding said rotisserie motor from the source of heat.