Fastenerless gravity retained cantilevered outdoor cooking assemblies and related methods

Abstract

Cantilevered outdoor cooking assemblies, and related methods, are disclosed, which comprise one or more cantilevered cooking trays adjustably suspended from an erect post by gravity without fasteners.

1 . A fastenerless assembly for processing food comprising: 
 an erect post comprised of an exposed upper end and a predetermined cross sectional size;    at least one platform comprising an aperture therein the size of which is slightly greater than the cross sectional size of the post;    the aperture being telescopically inserted over the post to suspend the platform;    fastenerless structure by which the suspended platform is held by gravity in a selected cantilevered position on the post to receive heat by which food on the platform is warmed and cooked.    
   
   
       2 . An assembly according to  claim 1  where the predetermined cross section of the post is selected from the group consisting of a rounded exterior surface and a series of flat exterior surfaces.  
   
   
       3 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the post comprises a lower end held erect by a support selected from the group consisting of the ground, concrete and a pedestal.  
   
   
       4 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one platform is selected from the group consisting of a solid platform and a porous platform.  
   
   
       5 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the aperture is disposed in a tab of the platform, the tab being selected from the group consisting of tabs located inside the perimeter of the platform and tabs located outside of the perimeter of the platform.  
   
   
       6 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the fastenerless structure is selected from the group consisting of opposed aperture surfaces engaged by a gravity caused moment imposed by a tilting of the platform in respect to the horizontal and a support pin engaged in a recess of the post.  
   
   
       7 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the heat is obtained from a heat source selected from the group consisting of a concrete engaging heat source, a ground engaging heat source and a heat source supported by an additional platform mounted upon the post.  
   
   
       8 . An outdoor apparatus for cooking food comprising: 
 a vertically extending column;    at least one cooking tray releasibly and adjustably gravity mounted without fasteners in cantilevered relation on the column to receive heat from beneath to cook food on the tray.    
   
   
       9 . A method of cooking food comprising the acts of: 
 placing food on a cooking tray;    releasibly and adjustably mounting the cooking tray without fasteners in cantilevered relation on a vertically-extending column;    applying heat to the mounted cooking tray from beneath the tray to cook the food on the tray.    
   
   
       10 . An outdoor apparatus for cooking food comprising: 
 a vertically extending column;    a cooking tray releasibly and adjustably gravity mounted without fasteners in cantilevered relation on the column to receive heat from beneath to cook food resting on the cooking tray;    a heat source tray releasibly and adjustably gravity mounted in cantilevered relation on the column below the cooking tray whereby heat from oxidation of fuel on top of the heat source tray to cook food resting on the cooking tray.    
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the heat source comprises briquettes.  
   
   
       12 . A method of cooking food comprising the acts of: 
 placing food on a cooking tray;    releasibly and adjustably mounting the cooking tray without fasteners in cantilevered relation on a vertically-extending column;    applying heat to the mounted cooking tray from a second tray mounted beneath the tray on the column to cook the food on the cooking tray.