Combination Fuel Fire Pit

Abstract

A portable combination gas and wood fire pit device comprises a spark screen disposed over a fire bowl and a grating disposed across an open top of the fire bowl. A gas burner is disposed in the fire bowl and below the grating. A cover plate is disposed over the gas burner and spaced above the gas burner to cover an open cup and neck of the gas burner from above. The spark screen has a cylindrical shape with vertical side wall extending above the fire bowl and a solid section and a mesh section. The solid section has interior and exterior perimeters forming a silhouette or stencil defining an object comprising at least: an animal, a person, a landscape, or combinations thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable combination gas and wood fire pit device, comprising:
 a) a fire bowl elevated on a pedestal and having an open top;   b) a spark screen disposed over the fire bowl and enclosing the open top of the fire bowl;   c) a grating disposed across the open top of the fire bowl, between the fire bowl and the spark screen;   d) a gas burner disposed in the fire bowl and below the grating;   e) the gas burner having an open cup facing upwardly and a neck extending laterally from the open cup;   f) a cover plate disposed over the gas burner and spaced above the gas burner; and   g) the cover plate sized and positioned to cover the open cup and neck of the gas burner from above.   
     
     
         2 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cover plate abuts to a bottom of the grating. 
     
     
         3 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a majority of a perimeter edge of the cover plate matches a shape of the open cup of the gas burner. 
     
     
         4 . The device in accordance with claim I, wherein the cover plate is flush with the open top of fire bowl, and the grating is disposed on the open top of the fire bowl. 
     
     
         5 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a substantially arcuate gap is defined between a portion of the open cup and a portion of a perimeter of the cover plate. 
     
     
         6 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a gas line coupled to the neck of the gas burner and extending into the gas bowl, and wherein the cover plate is disposed over the gas line, and sized and positioned to cover the gas line. 
     
     
         7 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one support post extending from the fire bowl to a level substantially flush with the open top of the fire bowl, and supporting an intermediate portion of the grating.   
     
     
         8 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein cover plate extends from a perimeter of the fire bowl and is cantilevered over the open cup of the gas burner. 
     
     
         9 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an opening in a bottom of fire bowl; and   the gas burner disposed over the opening.   
     
     
         10 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fire pit is capable of receiving burning wood or briquettes on the grating, and the cover plate is capable of shielding the open cup of the gas burner from falling ash from the burning wood or briquettes; and wherein the gas burner is capable of receiving gas and burning the gas in the open cup, and the cover plate is capable of directing flames from the burning gas radially outwardly around a perimeter of the cover plate. 
     
     
         11 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , further in combination with:
 wood or briquettes disposed on the grating; and   a propane bottle or tank coupled to the gas burner by a gas line.   
     
     
         12 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the open cup of the gas burner has a cup wall with an upper edge that is open around an entire perimeter of the open cup, and the gas burner has an insert disposed in the cup below the upper edge and with a saw-tooth perimeter defining a plurality of gas ports between the saw-tooth perimeter of the insert and an interior of the cup. 
     
     
         13 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fire bowl has a rectilinear shape with four perimeter side walls, and has a bottom wall formed by two angled halves meeting at a valley, and has an opening in the bottom wall; and further comprising an annular flange oriented horizontally and circumscribing the side walls. 
     
     
         14 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a) the spark screen having a cylindrical shape with a vertical side wall and an enclosed top;   b) the vertical side wall of the spark screen extending above the fire bowl;   c) the vertical side wall of the spark screen comprising at least two sections including: a solid section and a mesh section;   d) the solid and mesh sections together forming the vertical side wall and enclosing a lateral side of the spark screen;   e) the solid section having interior and exterior perimeters forming a silhouette or stencil defining an object comprising at least: an animal, a person, a landscape, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         15 . The device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a) the spark screen having a cylindrical shape with a vertical side wall and an enclosed top;   b) the vertical side wall of the spark screen extending above the fire bowl;   c) the vertical side wall of the spark screen comprising at least an interior mesh layer and an exterior graphic layer;   d) the graphic and mesh layers together forming the vertical side wall and enclosing a lateral side of the spark screen;   e) the exterior graphic layer comprising solid sections and open sections;   f) the solid section having interior and exterior perimeters forming a silhouette or stencil defining an object comprising at least: an animal, a person, a landscape, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         16 . A portable combination gas and wood fire pit device, comprising:
 a) a fire bowl elevated on a pedestal and having an open top;   b) a spark screen disposed over the fire bowl and enclosing the open top of the fire bowl;   c) the spark screen having a cylindrical shape with a vertical side wall and an enclosed top;   d) the vertical side wall of the spark screen extending above the fire bowl;   e) the vertical side wall of the spark screen comprising at least two sections including: a solid section and a mesh section;   f) the solid and mesh sections together forming the vertical side wall and enclosing a lateral side of the spark screen; and   g) the solid section having interior and exterior perimeters forming a silhouette or stencil defining an object comprising at least: an animal, a person, a landscape, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         17 . The device in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the vertical side wall of the spark screen comprises at least an interior mesh layer and an exterior graphic layer. 
     
     
         18 . The device in accordance with  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a) a grating disposed across the open top of the fire bowl, between the fire bowl and the spark screen;   b) a gas burner disposed in the fire bowl and below the grating;   c) the gas burner having an open cup facing upwardly and a neck extending laterally from the open cup;   d) a cover plate disposed over the gas burner and spaced above the gas burner; and   e) the cover plate sized and positioned to cover the open cup and neck of the gas burner from above.   
     
     
         19 . The device in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the cover plate is flush with the open top of fire bowl, and the grating is disposed on the open top of the fire bowl. 
     
     
         20 . A portable combination gas and wood fire pit device, comprising:
 a) a fire bowl elevated on a pedestal and having an open top;   b) a spark screen disposed over the fire bowl and enclosing the open top of the fire bowl;   c) a grating disposed across the open top of the fire bowl, between the fire bowl and the spark screen;   d) a gas burner disposed in the fire bowl and below the grating;   e) the gas burner having an open cup facing upwardly and a neck extending laterally from the open cup;   f) a cover plate disposed over the gas burner and spaced above the gas burner;   g) the cover plate sized and positioned to cover the open cup and neck of the gas burner;   h) the cover plate being flush with the open top of fire bowl, and the grating being disposed on the open top of the fire bowl;   i) the cover plate abutting to a bottom of the grating;   j) the spark screen having a cylindrical shape with a vertical side wall and an enclosed top;   k) the vertical side wall of the spark screen extending above the fire bowl;   l) the vertical side wall of the spark screen comprising at least an interior mesh layer and an exterior graphic layer;   m) the graphic and mesh layers together forming the vertical side wall and enclosing a lateral side of the spark screen;   n) the exterior graphic layer comprising solid sections and open sections; and   o) the solid section having interior and exterior perimeters forming a silhouette or stencil defining an object comprising at least: an animal, a person, a landscape, or combinations thereof.