Interlocking andiron systems and related methods

Abstract

A representative andiron system includes: a first firedog exhibiting a rectangular transverse cross-section with a height dimension being at least three times longer than a width dimension, and a first front post; a front upper finger and a front lower finger, each extending from the first firedog; the first firedog, the front upper finger, and the front lower finger being formed of contiguous material and exhibiting a planar configuration, the first front post being formed of contiguous material and exhibiting a planar configuration; the first front post having a first upper opening and a first lower opening; in a first assembled configuration, the front upper finger extends through the first upper opening and the front lower finger extends through the first lower opening.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An interlocking andiron system for use with combustible material, comprising:
 a first andiron assembly having a first firedog and a first front post;   the first firedog having a body extending in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to a distal end and being configured to support the combustible material in an elevated position, the first firedog exhibiting a rectangular transverse cross-section with a height dimension being at least three times longer than a width dimension, the distal end of the first firedog having a front vertical contact face;   a front upper finger and a front lower finger, each extending from the front vertical contact face of the first firedog, the front upper finger having an outwardly extending front upper segment and terminating in a downwardly extending front upper tip, the front upper segment having a bottom horizontal contact surface, the front upper tip having an inwardly facing vertical contact surface, the front lower finger having an outwardly extending front lower segment and terminating in a downwardly extending front lower tip, the front lower segment having a bottom horizontal contact surface, the front lower tip having an inwardly facing vertical contact surface;   the first firedog, the front upper finger, and the front lower finger being formed of contiguous material and exhibiting a planar configuration, the first front post being formed of contiguous material and exhibiting a planar configuration;   the first front post having an inward face, an outward face opposing the inward face, a first upper aperture, and a first lower aperture, the first upper aperture defining a first upper opening extending through the first front post from the inward face to the outward face and being aligned to receive the front upper finger, the first lower aperture defining a first lower opening extending through the first front post from the inward face to the outward face and being aligned to receive the front lower finger, the first upper aperture having a lower horizontal contact surface, the first lower aperture having a lower horizontal contact surface;   in a first assembled configuration, in which the first front post is disposed in a vertical orientation and the body of the first firedog is disposed in a horizontal orientation, the front upper finger extends through the first upper opening with the front upper tip being disposed adjacent the outward face of the first front post, the front lower finger extends through the first lower opening with the front lower tip being disposed adjacent the outward face of the first front post, the bottom horizontal contact surface of the front upper segment engages the lower horizontal contact surface of the first upper aperture, and the bottom horizontal contact surface of the front lower segment engages the lower horizontal contact surface of the first lower aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The andiron system of  claim 1 , wherein an upper portion of the front vertical contact face of the first firedog extends upwardly from the front upper finger. 
     
     
         3 . The andiron system of  claim 2 , wherein a lower portion of the front vertical contact face of the first firedog extends downwardly from the front lower finger. 
     
     
         4 . The andiron system of  claim 1 , wherein the height dimension of the first firedog is at least four times longer than the width dimension of the rectangular transverse cross-section. 
     
     
         5 . The andiron system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the proximal end of the first firedog has a back vertical contact face;   the first andiron assembly further comprises:
 a back upper finger and a back lower finger, each extending from the back vertical contact face of the first firedog, the back upper finger having an outwardly extending back upper segment and terminating in a downwardly extending back upper tip, the back upper segment having a bottom horizontal contact surface, the back upper tip having an inwardly facing vertical contact surface, the back lower finger having an outwardly extending back lower segment and terminating in a downwardly extending back lower tip, the back lower segment having a bottom horizontal contact surface, the back lower tip having an inwardly facing vertical contact surface; and 
 a first rear post having an inward face, an outward face opposing the inward face, a first upper aperture, and a first lower aperture, the first upper aperture of the first rear post defining a first upper opening extending through the first rear post and being aligned to receive the back upper finger, the first lower aperture of the first rear post defining a first lower opening extending through the first rear post and being aligned to receive the back lower finger, the first upper aperture of the first rear post having a lower horizontal contact surface, the first lower aperture of the first rear post having a lower horizontal contact surface; 
   in the first assembled configuration, the back upper finger extends through the first upper opening of the first rear post with the back upper tip being disposed adjacent the outward face of the first rear post, the back lower finger extends through the first lower opening of the first rear post with the back lower tip being disposed adjacent the outward face of the first rear post, the bottom horizontal contact surface of the back upper segment engages the lower horizontal contact surface of the first upper aperture of the first rear post, and the bottom horizontal contact surface of the back lower segment engages the lower horizontal contact surface of the first lower aperture of the first rear post.   
     
     
         6 . The andiron system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first front post has a second upper aperture and a second lower aperture, the second upper aperture and the second lower aperture being disposed higher than the first upper aperture, the second upper aperture defining a second upper opening extending through the first front post and being aligned to receive the front upper finger, the second lower aperture defining a second lower opening extending through the first front post and being aligned to receive the front lower finger;   the first rear post has a second upper aperture aligned to receive the back upper finger and a back lower aperture aligned to receive the second lower finger, the second upper aperture of the first rear post and the second lower aperture of the first rear post being disposed higher than the first upper aperture of the first rear post; and   in a second assembled configuration, the front upper finger extends through the second upper opening of the first front post, the front lower finger extends through the second lower opening of the first front post, the back upper finger extends through the second upper opening of the first rear post, and the back lower finger extends through the second lower opening of the first rear post.   
     
     
         7 . The andiron system of  claim 6 , further comprising a second andiron assembly having a second front post, a second rear post, and a second firedog;
 the second firedog extending between the second front post and the second rear post at a height corresponding to a height of the first firedog; and   the first firedog and the second firedog form supports for a first horizontal cooking surface.   
     
     
         8 . The andiron system of  claim 7 , further comprising a third firedog and a fourth firedog;
 the third firedog extending between the first front post and the first rear post at a height corresponding to the first upper opening and the first lower opening of the first front post;   the fourth firedog extending between the second front post and the second rear post at a height corresponding to a height of the third firedog; and   the third firedog and the fourth firedog form supports for a second horizontal cooking surface.   
     
     
         9 . The andiron system of  claim 1 , further comprising a back leg extending downwardly from the proximal end of the first firedog. 
     
     
         10 . The andiron system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the andiron system further comprises a second andiron assembly having:
 a second firedog having a body extending in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to a distal end and being configured to support the combustible material in an elevated position, the second firedog exhibiting a rectangular transverse cross-section with a height dimension being at least three times longer than a width dimension, the distal end of the second firedog having a front vertical contact face; 
 a front upper finger extending from the front vertical contact face of the second firedog; 
 a front lower finger extending from the front vertical contact face of the second firedog; 
 a back leg extending downwardly from the proximal end of the second firedog; and 
 a second front post defining a first upper opening aligned to receive the front upper finger of the second firedog, and a first lower opening aligned to receive the front lower finger of the second firedog; 
   in the first assembled configuration, the second front post is disposed in a vertical orientation and the body of the second firedog is disposed in a horizontal orientation, the front upper finger of the second firedog extends through the first upper opening of the second front post, and the front lower finger of the second firedog extends through the first lower opening of the second front post.   
     
     
         11 . The andiron system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the back leg of the first firedog defines a first cross-member opening;   the back leg of the second firedog defines a second cross-member opening;   the andiron system further comprises a cross member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end being configured to engage the first cross-member opening and the second end being configured to engage the second cross-member opening to maintain spacing between the first firedog and the second firedog.   
     
     
         12 . The andiron system of  claim 11 , wherein the cross member is configured as a firedog having a body extending in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to a distal end and exhibiting a rectangular transverse cross-section with a height dimension being at least three times longer than a width dimension. 
     
     
         13 . The andiron system of  claim 1 , wherein the first firedog, the front upper finger, the front lower finger, and the first front post are cut from  1 / 2 ″ steel plate. 
     
     
         14 . The andiron system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the andiron system further comprises a carrier, the carrier having a body portion, a first handle, and a second handle, the body portion extending between a front side and a back side, and between a first side and a second side, the body portion defining a first pocket and a second pocket, the first pocket configured to receive at least partially therein the first firedog, the second pocket configured to receive the first post, the first handle being elongated and having ends attached to the first side of the body portion, the second handle being elongated and having ends attached to the second side of the body portion;   wherein, in a carry configuration, the first handle and the second handle are disposed adjacent to each other with the body portion extending therebetween to form a support for carrying combustible materials.   
     
     
         15 . The andiron system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first pocket has a first opening providing access to an interior of the first pocket, the first opening being positioned adjacent the front side of the body portion; and   the second pocket has a second opening providing access to an interior of the second pocket, the second opening being disposed between the first side of the body portion and the first pocket.   
     
     
         16 . A method for providing an andiron system comprising:
 providing a sheet of steel plate;   forming, as a contiguous non-weld first workpiece, a first firedog, a front upper finger, and a front lower finger from the sheet of steel plate; and   forming, as a contiguous non-weld second workpiece, a first front post;   wherein:   the first firedog has a body extending in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to a distal end and being configured to support the combustible material in an elevated position, the first firedog exhibiting a rectangular transverse cross-section with a height dimension being at least three times longer than a width dimension, the distal end of the first firedog having a front vertical contact face;   the front upper finger and the front lower finger each extend from the front vertical contact face of the first firedog, the front upper finger having an outwardly extending front upper segment and terminating in a downwardly extending front upper tip, the front upper segment having a bottom horizontal contact surface, the front upper tip having an inwardly facing vertical contact surface, the front lower finger having an outwardly extending front lower segment and terminating in a downwardly extending front lower tip, the front lower segment having a bottom horizontal contact surface, the front lower tip having an inwardly facing vertical contact surface;   the first front post has an inward face, an outward face opposing the inward face, a first upper aperture, and a first lower aperture, the first upper aperture defining a first upper opening extending through the first front post from the inward face to the outward face and being aligned to receive the front upper finger, the first lower aperture defining a first lower opening extending through the first front post from the inward face to the outward face and being aligned to receive the front lower finger, the first upper aperture having a lower horizontal contact surface, the first lower aperture having a lower horizontal contact surface;   in a first assembled configuration, in which the first front post is disposed in a vertical orientation and the body of the first firedog is disposed in a horizontal orientation, the front upper finger extends through the first upper opening with the front upper tip being disposed adjacent the outward face of the first front post, the front lower finger extends through the first lower opening with the front lower tip being disposed adjacent the outward face of the first front post, the bottom horizontal contact surface of the front upper segment engages the lower horizontal contact surface of the first upper aperture, and the bottom horizontal contact surface of the front lower segment engages the lower horizontal contact surface of the first lower aperture.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the forming of the first workpiece comprises waterjet cutting of the steel plate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising packing the first workpiece and the second workpiece together for shipping as a flat package. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the packing comprises stacking the first workpiece and the second workpiece face to face. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the packing further comprises:
 providing a carrier having a body portion, a first handle, and a second handle, the body portion extending between a front side and a back side, and between a first side and a second side, the body portion defining a first pocket and a second pocket, the first pocket configured to receive at least partially therein the first firedog, the second pocket configured to receive the first post, the first handle being elongated and having ends attached to the first side of the body, the second handle being elongated and having ends attached to the second side of the body; and   inserting the first firedog at least partially within the first pocket and the first post within the second pocket.