Table top grill

Abstract

An improved table top grill which includes a modular fire grate configuration for holding heat retention material in a predetermined area, the fire grate configuration being easily removeable from the grill. Two sets of fire grate modules are provided along with a heating grate so that a dual-purpose grill is obtained, wherein both a grilling operation and a pot or pan cooking operation can be conducted simultaneously.

I claim: 
     
       1. A table top grill of the type in which objects to be cooked are positioned in close proximity to heated heat retention material, comprising (a) a housing;   (b) means for heating the heat retention material, the heating means being positioned within the housing;   (c) support means positioned within the housing and directly above the heating means for supporting cooking utensils in direct communication with the heating means;   (d) fire grate means positioned within the housing and above the support means for supporting the heat retention material in direct communication with the heating means including (i) first tray means removeably positioned above one section of the support means for supporting one portion of the heat retention material;   (ii) second tray means positioned above the remaining portion of the support means for retaining the remaining part of the heat retention material;     (e) first and second cooking grid means positioned within the housing and above the fire grate means for providing a cooking surface which is in close proximity to the heat retention material, wherein the first cooking grid means is disposed above the first tray means and the second cooking grid means is disposed above the second tray means and futherwherein the combination of the first tray means and the first cooking grid means can be removed from the housing independently of the second tray means and second cooking grid means combination so that the cooking surface which is in direct communication with the heating means can be provided simultaneously with the cooking surface which is in close proximity to the heat retention material.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat retention materials are selected from the group of materials including lava rock and preformed briquettes. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support means comprise a first section and a second section, each section being independently supported within the housing and individually .[.removeable.]. .Iadd.removable .Iaddend.from the housing. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating means is a gas burner. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating means is a gas burner and furtherwherein the gas burner is supplied with fuel from a fuel bottle which is disposed at the exterior of the base portion of the housing, the housing further including gas conduit means for supporting one end of the gas bottle and for providing communication between the gas bottle and the gas burner, and support arm means for supporting the other end of the gas bottle, the support arm means including a ring portion having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the gas bottle and arm means for pivotably coupling the ring portion to the base portion of the housing. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5, further including valve means for controlling the communication along the gas conduit means, the valve means being positioned within the housing and beneath the gas burner; and heat shield means positioned between the gas burner and the valve means for reflecting heat from the gas burner away from the valve means. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support means comprise first and second elongate arms, each arm being independently and pivottably supported at one end within the housing for movement between a first and a second position, wherein each arm is deposed against the housing in the first position and wherein each arm is positioned over the heating means, in close proximity to the heating means, in the second position. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each elongate arm further includes a multiple-pronged support member disposed at the free end thereof, the multiple-pronged support member comprising a plurality of prongs which are positioned in a common plane. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the heat shield means is formed as an integral part of the housing. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the heat shield means conducts heat to the housing. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the heat shield means include a plurality of vents for promoting the circulation of air about the valve means. 
     
     
       12. A table top cooking apparatus, wherein the objects to be cooked are positioned in close proximity to heated heat retention material, comprising (a) a housing;   (b) a gas burner positioned within the housing;   (c) a plurality of multipronged arms, each being pivottably secured at one end to the housing for movement between a first and a second position, so that in the first position each arm is positioned against the housing, and in the second position each arm is positioned over the gas burner;   (d) first and second fire grate means, .[.removeably.]. .Iadd.removably .Iaddend.supported within the housing and .Iadd.lying .Iaddend.within a common plane .[˜]. .Iadd.containing .Iaddend.the plurality of multipronged arms, for supporting the heat retention material in close proximity to the gas burner; and   (e) first and second cooking grid means, removeably supported within the housing, the first and second cooking grids being associated with the first and second fire grate means, respectively, for supporting the objects to be cooked in close proximity to the heat retention material, and furtherwherein the objects to be cooked can be supported by ones of the plurality of multipronged arms in close proximity to a portion of the gas burner, when the cooking grid means and fire means associated with that portion of the gas burner are removed from the housing. .Iadd.   
     
     
       13.  A table top grill of the type in which objects are cooked, comprising (a) a housing;   (b) heat retention material, wherein heat held in the heat retention material is capable of cooking the objects;   (c) means for heating the heat retention material, the heating means being positioned within the housing;   (d) support means positioned within and mounted to the housing and directly above the heating means for supporting cooking utensils in direct communication with the heating means, wherein the support means defines a horizontal plane;   (e) a removable grill module positioned within the housing and above the support means, wherein the grill module resides entirely above the horizontal plane of the support means, the grill module including (i) tray means positioned adjacent to the heating means upon which is located said heat retention material in direct communication with the heating means; and   (ii) cooking grid means positioned above the tray means for providing a cooking surface which is in close proximity to the heat retention material, wherein the grill module can be removed from the housing so as to permit the support means to receive a cooking utensil. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The table top grill of claim 13, wherein the heat retention materials are selected from the group of materials including lava rock and preformed briquettes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The table top grill of claim 13, wherein the support means comprise a first section and a second section, each section being independently supported within the housing and individually removable from the housing. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The table top grill of claim 13, wherein the heating means is a gas burner. .Iaddend.     
     
     
        .Iadd.17.  The table top grill of claim 13, wherein the heating means is a gas burner and furtherwherein the gas burner is supplied with fuel from a fuel bottle which is disposed at the exterior of the base portion of the housing, the housing further including gas conduit means for supporting one end of the gas bottle and for providing communication between the gas bottle and the gas burner, and support arm means for supporting the other end of the gas bottle, the support arm means including a ring portion having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the gas bottle and arm means for pivotably coupling the ring portion to the base portion of the housing. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The table top grill of claim 17, further including valve means for controlling the communication along the gas conduit means, the valve means being positioned within the housing and beneath the gas burner; and heat shield means positioned between the gas burner and the valve means for reflecting heat from the gas burner away from the valve means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The table top grill of claim 13, wherein the support means comprise first and second elongate arms, each arm being independently and pivotably supported at one end within the housing for movement between a first and a second position, wherein each arm is deposed against the housing in the first position and wherein each arm is positioned over the heating means, in close proximity to the heating means, in the second position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The table top grill of claim 19, wherein each elongate arm further includes a multiple-pronged support member disposed at the free end thereof, the multiple-pronged support member comprising a plurality of prongs which are positioned in a common plane. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The table top grill of claim 18, wherein the heat shield means is formed as an integral part of the housing. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The table top grill of claim 18, wherein the heat shield means conducts heat to the housing. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The table top grill of claim 21 or 22, wherein the heat shield means include a plurality of vents for promoting the circulation of air about the valve means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. A table top cooking apparatus for cooking objects, comprising (a) a housing;   (b) heat retention material;   (c) a gas burner positioned within the housing;   (d) a plurality of multipronged arms, each being pivotably secured at one end to the housing for movement between a first and a second position, so that in the first position each arm is positioned against the housing, and in the second position each arm is positioned over the gas burner;   (e) fire grate means, removably supported within the housing and lying within a common plane containing the plurality of multipronged arms, for supporting the heat retention material in close proximity to the gas burner; and   (f) cooking grid means, removably supported within the housing, the cooking grid means being associated with the fire grate means for supporting the objects to be cooked in close proximity to the heat retention material in direct communication with the heating means, and furtherwherein the objects to be cooked can be supported by one of the plurality of multipronged arms in close proximity to a portion of the gas burner, when the cooking grid means and fire grate means associated with that portion of the gas burner are removed from the housing. .Iaddend.