Collapsible Camp Stove

Abstract

A campstove of the collapsible variety having preferably three point support. Two pivotable legs provide two of the points of support for the stove and the fuel container provides the third point of support. Burner means for the stove is mounted on a bracket as are the two stove legs. Utensil supports are sandwiched between the burner means and the bracket and are pivotable between operative and inoperative positions. The stove can be collapsed for storage without use of special tools.

Description

This invention relates to a collapsible stove for camping or for emergency use around the house. The stove has a bare minimum of parts, and can be folded into a compact configuration for storage, or erected for use in a matter of seconds without any tools being required.

A great variety of camping stoves have been developed for use by ever expanding recreational camping public. The campstoves of the prior art range from multi-burner stoves contained in luggage-like cases, which stoves are rather expensive and complex, to skeleton stoves of wire frame construction which are quite inexpensive and of comparatively simple design.

No matter how complex or simple the stove, it must include a burner, a utensil support, a fuel source, and conduits for feeding the fuel to the burner. Also, preferably, there will be some means for adjusting the flame height emitting from the burner. Some stoves are fueled with kerosene, white gas, or some other form of fuel which is atomized before being fed to the burners, and other stoves are fueled with the vapors of liquid petroleum fuel, such as propane, which is contained under pressure in a fuel cylinder.

The stove of this invention is of the type fueled by the vapors of a liquid petroleum fuel, such as propane, which is stored under pressure in a fuel cylinder. The stove is also of the skeletal variety which includes a minimum number of parts. The burner of the stove of this invention is elevated from the ground or other supporting surface by means of a tripod, two parts of which are formed by legs, and the third part of which is formed by the fuel cylinder. The legs are preferably rod-like in construction, and are mounted on a bracket for pivotal movement thereon between an erected position and a compact storage position. The utensil-supporting members are preferably rod-like elements which are pivotally mounted on the bracket for movement between a compact storage position and a utensil-supporting operating position. The burner is preferably a cup-shaped member which is threaded onto a fuel conduit which passes through the bracket, thus the fuel conduit and burner are connected together to the bracket.

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a campstove having a minimum number of parts which can be quickly folded into a compact storage configuration.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a campstove of the character described which is fueled by propane contained in a cylinder under pressure.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a campstove of the character described wherein the fuel cylinder serves as one of the supports for the burner.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the stove of this invention shown in its erected condition and ready for use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stove of FIG. 1 shown in its collapsed condition for storage;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the utensil-supporting elements used on the stove of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the legs of the stove;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the underside of the bracket member of the stove;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken axially through the bracket and burner portion of the stove in the erected condition showing details of the manner in which the stove is assembled.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the stove is shown in its erected position wherein it is operative to be used for cooking or heating. The stove includes a main bracket member 2 having a pair of downwardly turned side portions 4 and a generally flat, horizontal mid portion 6. A pair of rod-like legs 8 are pivotally mounted to the bracket side portions 4 by means of rivets 10, the legs 8 being angularly offset from each other at an included angle of approximately 40.degree.. A burner assembly 12 is mounted on the upper side of the bracket 2, the burner 12 including a plurality of openings 14 for the emission of fuel to form flame jets. A rigid fuel conduit 16 is secured to the burner 12 on one end and carries a valve housing 18 of conventional construction, on the other end. The gas pressure regulator valve housing 18 is threaded onto a conventional fuel cylinder 20 which holds a liquid petroleum fuel such as propane under pressure. The lower end of the fuel cylinder 20 touches the ground, or other supporting surface, so that the legs 8 and fuel tank 20 combine to provide three point support for the burner 12. It will be noted that the upper, or outlet end of the fuel cylinder 20 is elevated with respect to the bottom of the fuel cylinder when the stove is erected for use thus causing the fuel vapor within the cylinder to move to the outlet end thereof to be drawn into the fuel conduit 16. The valved fitting 18 is provided with a control stem 22 and knob 24 which are rotated to open and close the valve (not shown) within the fitting 18 to control the flowage of fuel from the cylinder 20 into the fuel conduit 16. The conduit 16 is provided with air inlet openings 26 through which ambient air is drawn into the fuel for combustion. A plurality of U-shaped utensil support members 28, 30 and 32 are mounted on the bracket 2 in a manner more clearly set forth hereinafter, the members 28, 30 and 32 being symmetrically disposed at approximately 120.degree. angles from each other when the stove is in the erected condition.

The stove of this invention is shown in FIG. 2 in its collapsed condition which is a compact, space-saving arrangement wherein the stove can be easily transported or stored. The legs 8 are both pivoted into close proximity to the fuel cylinder 20, and the utensil supports 32 and 30 are each pivoted in opposite directions until they lie in close proximity to the remaining utensil support 28. The burner 12 is held above the fuel tank 20 by the rigid fuel conduit 16. Thus the entire stove is easily carried by the bottom of the fuel tank 20. It will be noted that the folded stove takes up very little lateral space above and beyond that occupied by the fuel cylinder 20 alone.

Referring to FIG. 3, one of the utensil supporting elements is shown, each of the elements preferably being identical in construction. The elements 28, 30 and 32 each include a lower portion 34 having a flattened terminal part 36 which is sandwiched between the burner 12 and the bracket 2 when the stove is assembled. A pair of openings 38 and 40 are disposed on the flat 36. An upwardly extending mid portion 42 serves to interconnect the lower portion 34 with an upper horizontal utensil supporting portion 44.

Referring to FIG. 4, one of the legs 8 is shown, both of the legs being identical in construction. The leg includes a first upper straight portion 46 having a terminal flat part 48 through which is disposed an aperture 50. The remainder of the leg is an axially straight portion 52 which extends at an angle from the first portion 46.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the bracket 2 is shown from the bottom or underside. As previously noted, the bracket 2 includes a pair of downwardly extending side wall portions 4 interconnected by a flat web or mid portion 6. Each side wall 4 is provided with a hole 54 which is aligned with the hole 50 on the legs 8. The rivet 10 passes through the aligned holes 50 and 54 to connect the legs 8 to the bracket 2, with the legs 8 being pivotable about the rivets 10. It should be noted that the rivets 10 can be riveted (peened) or simply inserted through holes 50 and 54 without riveting since the burner assembly 12 will imprison mount all elements in final assembly. An inwardly protruding dimple is disposed on each side wall 4 so as to provide a bump 56 on each side wall which bump 56 engages the flat part 48 of each leg 8 when the latter is pivoted to its erected position to hold the legs 8 in their erected positions even if the erected stove is lifted off of the ground or other supporting surface. This locking feature is shown most clearly in FIG. 8. The bracket web 6 is provided with a central aperture 58 through which the fuel conduit 16 extends, and a pair of aligned apertures 60 and 62. The aligned apertures 60 and 62 receive pins 64 and 66 (see FIG. 8) respectively which also pass through openings 38 and 40 in the utensil support element 28 to fasten the latter to the bracket 2. Other apertures 68 and 70 are disposed about the aperture 58 through the web 6, the apertures 68 and 70 each receiving a pin which also passes through the opening 38 in the utensil supports 32 and 30 respectively to attach the latter to the bracket 2 in a pivoting connection. A pair of semi-perforations 72 and 74 are positioned of the bracket web 6 so as to provide stops 76 to limit the amount of pivotal movement which can be imparted to the supports 30 and 32. The support 30 can be pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction from the collapsed position shown in FIG. 2 until it strikes the stop 76 which is located so that the support 30 will angularly offset 120.degree. from the support 28 when the stove is erected. Likewise, the support 32 is pivoted in a clockwise direction from its position adjacent the support 28 until it strikes its respective stop 76.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the manner in which the stove is assembled is most clearly shown. The burner 12 includes an inverted cup-shaped member 78 having an outwardly sloping side wall 80 through which the flame openings 14 extend. A base plate member 82 comprises the bottom of the burner 12, the plate 82 having an upwardly and inwardly turned flange 84 which overlies and captures the rim of the member 78 to lock the members 78 and 82 together. The plate 82 is provided with a boss 86 having a threaded bore 88 into which is screwed the threaded terminal 90 of the fuel conduit 16. The fuel conduit terminal 90 passes through the bracket aperture 58. Thus when the burner 12 is screwed tightly down onto the fuel conduit 90, the burner base plate 82 overlies and holds the pins 64 and 66 (which in turn secure the support 28 to the bracket 2) in place, and likewise holds the pins which hold the other supports 30 and 32 in place. It is noted that the plate 2 is trapped between the burner plate 82 and the upset ring 91 on the fuel conduit 16.

Thus the assembly of the stove is quite simply and easily accomplished. After the legs 8 are riveted to the bracket portions 4, the supports are properly positioned on top of the bracket web 6, and the pins, such as 64, 66, etc. are passed through the aligned support and bracket openings. The fuel conduit terminal 90 is then passed upwardly through the bracket opening 58 and the burner 12 is screwed tightly down onto the fuel conduit terminal 90.

It will be readily appreciated that the stove of this invention is of maximum stability due to the three point support afforded the stove by the two legs and the fuel tank. Further stability is provided by the three sturdy utensil supporting elements. By locking the legs in their erected positions, one can pick the stove up while in the erected position and move it without any danger that the legs will move so as to create the possibility of collapse when the stove is put down again. The utensil support stops ensure that the supports will always be properly positioned for maximum stability when the stove is erected. The stove is inexpensive because of its relatively few components, their relatively simple construction, and the ease with which the stove can be assembled. Finally, the stove can be quickly erected for use, and can be quickly collapsed to a very compact form not much larger than the fuel tank for storage and transport.

Since many changes and variations of the disclosed embodiment of the invention can be made without departing from the inventive concept, it is not intended to limit the invention otherwise than as required by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A portable campstove comprising:

a. a bracket;

b. a fuel tank assembly rigidly secured to said bracket, said fuel tank assembly having a rigid fuel conduit having a threaded end portion extending through an opening in said bracket;

c. burner means having a threaded opening screwed onto said threaded end portion of said fuel conduit to mount said burner means on said bracket;

d. support means pivotally connected to said bracket and movable thereon between an erected position and a collapsed position, said support means, when in said erected position, combining with said fuel tank assembly to provide stable support for the campstove;

e. means on said bracket for engaging said support means to hold the latter against pivotal movement when said support means is in said erected position and the campstove is off of a supporting surface; and

f. utensil-supporting means mounted on said bracket about said burner means for supporting an object to be heated, said utensil-supporting means including a plurality of supporting members each having a portion which is sandwiched between said burner means and said bracket and secured to said bracket by pins extending through aligned openings in said supporting member and said bracket, said pins being held in place by said burner means, at least two of said members being pivotally mounted on said bracket and movable between collapsed positions closely adjacent to another member, and erected positions angularly offset from each other and

2. The campstove of claim 1 further comprising stop means on said bracket for positively locating said movable utensil-supporting members in their respective erected positions.