Cooking apparatus

Abstract

A cooking unit has a gas burner, which supports a pair of nested cooking containers. An inner cooking container has perforated wall structure to allow cooking medium deposited in the outer cooking container to cook items inside the inner container. A pivotal lid closes the containers during cooking and serves as a guiding chute when the cover is open and food is dumped from the inner container. A handle secured on an end wall of the inner container extends substantially horizontally, allowing a one-hand maneuvering of the inner container.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A cooking apparatus, comprising: 
 an outer container unit having a closed bottom and upwardly extending walls;    a burner support assembly having at least one burner head and a rack for supporting a bottom of the outer container unit;    an inner container unit configured for selectively nesting inside the outer container unit; said inner container unit being provided with an outwardly extending handle secured to an upper edge of the inner container unit and extending transversely to a vertical axis of the inner container unit.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a lid configured for covering an open top of the inner container unit, said lid being hingedly secured to an end wall of the outer container unit.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said inner container unit comprises a pair of parallel side walls, a first end wall extending transversely between the parallel side walls, and a second, inclined end wall extending opposite the first end wall.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said handle is secured to the inclined end wall.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein an upper edge of the first end wall carries an outwardly extending lip to facilitate supporting of the inner container unit in relation to the outer container unit.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said inner container unit comprises a perforated wall and bottom structure.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said lid comprises a base panel and a pair of parallel guide members secured to opposite sides of the base panel and extending transversely to the general plane of the base panel.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said lid comprises a base panel having an inner surface, an outer surface and an outer end, and wherein said outer surface carries a support member for the base panel for supporting the outer end of the base panel above a support surface.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said outer container unit comprises a generally rectangular body having upwardly extending outer container walls, three of which are provided with an outwardly extending flange.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said burner support assembly comprises a generally rectangular frame defined by upright frame walls, said frame being supported by a plurality of supporting legs.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each of said outer container walls has a longitudinal dimension at least slightly smaller than the longitudinal dimension of a corresponding frame wall and has a vertical dimension at least slightly greater than a vertical dimension of a corresponding frame wall.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said rack is secured between said frame walls above said at least one burner head.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said burner assembly comprises a pair of spaced burner heads.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said burner heads are connectable to an exterior source of fuel.  
     
     
         15 . A cooking apparatus comprising: 
 an outer generally rectangular, open top pan structure having a pair of parallel side walls, a first transverse end wall and a second inclined end wall;    an inner, generally rectangular, open top pan structure having perforated sidewalls, perforated end walls and a perforated bottom, said inner pan structure being dimensioned and configured to nest within the outer pan structure, said inner pan structure being provided with a handle extending transversely to a vertical axis of the inner pan structure and secured to an upper edge of said inclined end wall; and    a burner assembly provided with a rack dimensioned and configured to support the outer pan structure.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a cover hingedly attached to an end wall of outer pan structure.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said cover comprises a substantially flat panel and a pair of guide members secured to opposing sides of the panel, said guide members facilitate dispensing of food products from said inner pan structure.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said cover comprises a cover handle secured to an outer surface of the panel, said cover handle forming a rest when the cover is moved to an open position.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said guide members extend downwardly from said flat panel when the cover is in a closed position.