ROTISSERIE CLAMP

Abstract

Rotisserie forks and a basket for use on a motorized elongated spit rod having a central axis and a sharpened tip, wherein the forks or basket have a) a split shaft collar having an opening that slidably receives the spit rod and has an inside diameter, and b) a lever-action quick-release clamp that surrounds the shaft collar, has open and closed lever positions, and which when open enables the shaft collar and fork or basket to move along the spit rod central axis, and which when closed reduces the shaft collar inside diameter so that the fork or basket does not move along the spit rod central axis during rotisserie grilling.

Claims

1-26. (canceled)

27. Rotisserie forks or a basket for use on a motorized elongated spit rod having a central axis and a sharpened tip, wherein the forks or basket comprise a) a split shaft collar having an opening that slidably receives the spit rod and has an inside diameter, and b) a lever-action quick-release clamp that surrounds the shaft collar, has open and closed lever positions, and which when open enables the shaft collar and fork or basket to move along the spit rod central axis, and which when closed reduces the shaft collar inside diameter so that the fork or basket does not move along the spit rod central axis during rotisserie grilling, wherein the lever moves between its open and closed positions in a direction perpendicular to the spit rod central axis and thus does not lengthen the forks or basket along the spit rod central axis when moved between the open and closed positions.

28. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the shaft collar has a polygonal opening with the same shape as a cross-section of the spit rod.

29. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the shaft collar has a square opening with the same shape as a cross-section of the spit rod.

30. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the fork or basket is rotatably fixed with respect to the shaft collar whether the quick-release lever is open or closed.

31. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the lever-action quick-release clamp is free to rotate with respect to the shaft collar when the quick-release lever is open, thus permitting rotation of the lever with respect to the fork, basket or nearby food to a location that will enable more convenient lever opening and closing, and is rotatably fixed with respect to the shaft collar when the lever is closed.

32. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the fork is free to rotate with respect to the shaft collar when the quick-release lever is open, thus permitting rotation of the fork with respect to the spit rod when such rotation is desired in order to avoid bones or to skewer irregularly-shaped food, and is rotatably fixed with respect to the shaft collar when the lever is closed.

33. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the quick-release lever has a length of at least 40 mm.

34. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the quick-release lever has a length of at least 45 mm.

35. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the quick-release lever has a length of at least 50 mm.

36. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the quick-release lever has a length of at least 60 mm.

37. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the quick-release lever has a length of at least 70 mm.

38. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the split shaft collar and lever-action quick-release clamp assist in positioning food and the forks or basket along the length of a spit rod and reduce the need for as well as the time and manual effort required to adjust or otherwise alter such positioning during rotisserie grilling, when compared to a fork or basket affixed to the spit rod using a thumbscrew.

39. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the split shaft collar and lever-action quick-release clamp reduce or eliminate loosening or other fork or basket movement with respect to the spit rod during rotisserie grilling, when compared to a fork or basket affixed to the spit rod using a thumbscrew.

40. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the spit or spits are equipped with two or more adjustable inward-facing forks.

41. A fork or basket according to claim 27 having four or more forks.

42. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the spit or spits are equipped with a basket.

43. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the quick-release lever or collar is made from aluminum.

44. A fork or basket according to claim 27, wherein the clamp or collar is made from steel.

45. A rotisserie device for use in a ceramic or metal charcoal, gas or pellet grill, the device having at least one motor mounted outside the grill, a removable, rotatable elongated spit rod having a central axis and a sharpened tip and which is rotatably driven by the motor, and a plurality of forks or a basket removably mounted on the spit rod, wherein the forks or basket comprise a) a split shaft collar having an opening that slidably receives the spit rod and has an inside diameter, and b) a lever-action quick-release clamp that surrounds the shaft collar, has open and closed lever positions, and which when open enables the shaft collar and fork or basket to move along the spit rod central axis, and which when closed reduces the shaft collar inside diameter so that the fork or basket does not move along the spit rod central axis during rotisserie grilling, wherein the lever moves between its open and closed positions in a direction perpendicular to the spit rod central axis and thus does not lengthen the forks or basket along the spit rod central axis when moved between the open and closed positions.

46. A ceramic or metal charcoal, gas or pellet grill, the grill having at least one motor mounted outside the grill, a removable, rotatable elongated spit rod having a central axis and a sharpened tip and which is rotatably driven by the motor, and a plurality of forks or a basket removably mounted on the spit rod, wherein the forks or basket comprise a) a split shaft collar having an opening that slidably receives the spit rod and has an inside diameter, and b) a lever-action quick-release clamp that surrounds the shaft collar, has open and closed lever positions, and which when open enables the shaft collar and fork or basket to move along the spit rod central axis, and which when closed reduces the shaft collar inside diameter so that the fork or basket does not move along the spit rod central axis during rotisserie grilling, wherein the lever moves between its open and closed positions in a direction perpendicular to the spit rod central axis and thus does not lengthen the forks or basket along the spit rod central axis when moved between the open and closed positions.

47. A grill according to claim 46, wherein the grill is a hinged covered ceramic kamado grill.

48. A grill according to claim 46, wherein the grill is a hinged covered metal kamado grill.

49. A grill according to claim 46, wherein the grill is an unhinged covered metal kettle charcoal grill.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wedge-shaped rotisserie adapter for use in hinged, covered grills;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of several rotisserie fork or basket clamping devices of the prior art;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a rotisserie fork and clamp of the present disclosure; and

[0017] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are perspective views of additional clamps for use in rotisserie forks or baskets of the present disclosure.

[0018] Like reference symbols in the various figures of the drawing indicate like elements. The elements in the drawing are not to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The recitation of a numerical range using endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc.).

[0020] The terms a, an, the, at least one, and one or more are used interchangeably. Thus, for example, a rotisserie spit that includes a tined fork means that the spit includes one or more tined forks.

[0021] The term aperture means a hole, slot or other opening.

[0022] The term essentially the same when used with respect to a numerical measure or quantity means within 10% and more preferably within 5% of that measure or quantity.

[0023] The term grill means a cooking device capable of a variety of cooking tasks including but not limited to grilling, baking, smoking and roasting.

[0024] The term span when used in reference to the disclosed rotisserie device means the maximum axial length of meat that could be skewered on the spit and rotated without rubbing against a grill or a component part thereof.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a rotisserie fork 300 in accordance with the present disclosure. Fork 300 includes split shaft collar 302 whose outer surface includes a groove 303 within which reside bent wire forks 304 having sharpened ends 305. Collar 302 includes a central aperture 306 which in this instance is a square opening shaped and sized to fit over a conventional 5/16 in (7 mm) diameter square spit rod like rod 104. As will be understood by persons having ordinary skill in the grilling art, other aperture shapes, aperture sizes and corresponding spit shapes and sizes may be used if desired. Split portion 308 in collar 302 is compressible. This enables the inside diameter of aperture 306 to be reduced by closing lever 310 to tighten clamp band 312. When lever 310 is open, the inside diameter of aperture 306 is sufficient to enable free sliding movement of collar 302 and forks 304 along the central axis of the chosen spit rod. When lever 310 is closed, ends 312a and 312b of clamp band 312 are drawn together, split portion 308 is compressed, the inside diameter of aperture 306 is reduced, and collar 302 and forks 304 become immobilized on the spit rod and prevented from further movement during rotisserie grilling. In some embodiments, the disclosed collar has more than one split portion 308. In some embodiments, the width of split portion 308 is reduced to zero when lever 310 is closed, and in other embodiments the width of split portion 308 is reduced but not to zero. The clamping action of lever 310 arises when lever 310 rotates around pivot shaft 316 which in turn is fastened to pull rod 318. Preferably, closing lever 310 will reduce the inner circumference of opening 306. In some embodiments, when lever 310 is closed then collar 302 contacts the spit rod on all sides of the spit rod, and the clearance between collar 306 and the spit rod is reduced to zero on all sides of the spit rod. Changing radius portion 320 on lever 310 retracts pull rod 318 and urges ends 312a and 312b towards one another when lever 310 is rotated from an open to a closed position. In some embodiments, pull rod 318 has a fixed length and the force exerted by clamp band 312 as well as the inside diameter of aperture 306 when lever 310 is closed are predetermined by the dimensions of these and other components of the disclosed device. In some embodiments pull rod 318 has an adjustable length (for example, by providing adjustable threaded engagement of rod 318 into shaft 316, or by adding a suitable adjustment nut that bears on end 312a at the other end of rod 318) so that the degree of final closing force exerted by clamp band 312 and the inside diameter of aperture 306 when lever 310 is closed may be adjusted by a cook or other user. In some embodiments, the changing radius portion 320 is configured to have an increasing and then slightly decreasing radius during the travel of lever 310 from an open to closed position so that near the very end of its closing travel, lever 310 will require slightly reduced closing force and will urge itself into a fully closed position. As will be appreciated by persons having ordinary skill in the grilling art, one or more pairs of the disclosed forks would be used in a rotisserie device. As also will be appreciated by such persons, one or more baskets may be equipped with the disclosed split shaft collar and lever-action quick-release clamp and used in place of the disclosed forks. Compared to conventional rotisserie fork and basket retaining devices, the disclosed split shaft collar and lever-action quick-release clamp provide improved positioning and immobilization of adjustable rotisserie forks and baskets and the foods they skewer or contain during rotisserie grilling.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows another rotisserie clamp 400 in accordance with the present disclosure. Split shaft collar 402 includes split portions 402a and 402b, raised circumferential rib 403 and an aperture 404 shaped and sized to fit a desired spit rod. Collar 402 has an outside diameter sized to fit inside circular aperture 406 in split clamp 408 when lever 410 is open. Grooved recess 409 inside aperture 406 receives rib 403 and prevents clamp 408 from slipping off collar 402 when lever 410 is open. As will be understood by persons having ordinary skill in the grilling art, rib 403 and grooved recess 409 may respectively be replaced by a recessed groove in collar 402 and a rib in clamp 408, or by other comparable mechanisms, for example, grooves in both collar 402 and clamp 408, and a split lockring captured in the grooves) that will prevent such slippage. When lever 410 is closed, split portions 408a, 408b, 402a and 402b are compressed, locking together clamp 408 and collar 402 and firmly gripping a spit rod inside collar 402. In some embodiments, rotisserie forks or a basket (for clarity, not shown in FIG. 4) may be fastened to collar 402 so that split collar 408 and lever 410 may be rotated to a convenient position with respect to the forks or basket and nearby food (e.g., a position that offers ample clearance for opening and closing lever 410). In some embodiments, a pair of opposing rotisserie forks may each be fastened to a split collar 408 so that the forks may be individually rotated to a convenient position with respect to one another and nearby food (e.g., positions that enable the forks to be inserted into bone-free, sufficiently dense or otherwise appropriate skewering locations).

[0027] FIG. 5 shows another rotisserie clamp 500 in accordance with the present disclosure. Split shaft collar 502 includes split portion 502a and aperture 504. As depicted, aperture 504 is circular and thus is intended to fit on a circular spit rod. As will be appreciated by persons having ordinary skill in the grilling art, other aperture shapes and spit rod shapes may be employed. The clamping force provided when lever 510 is closed desirably is sufficient to firmly lock split collar 502 on the spit rod even when the rod has a circular shape.

[0028] The disclosed split shaft collar and lever-action quick-release clamp may be made from a variety of heat-resistant materials including metals including aluminum, stainless steel, plated steel, and other materials that will be familiar to persons having ordinary skill in the grilling art. Anodized aluminum having a dishwasher-resistant finish represents an especially desirable material for the lever or collar, and plated steel is an especially desirably material for the clamp or collar. The lever, collar and clamp may be formed using casting, machining, forging and other methods that will be familiar to persons having ordinary skill in the grilling art.

[0029] The collar and clamp may be used in a variety grills including those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,440 (Sazegar) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,058 (Becker), in U.S. Published Patent Application Nos. US 2009/0308373 A1 (Scott et al.), US 2010/0095946A1 (Creel), US 2010/0258105 A1 (Simms, II) and US 2010/0258106 A1 (Simms, II); hinged covered grills from suppliers including Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg, Bayou Classic, Big Steel Keg, Blaze, California Kamado, Char-Broil, Char-Griller, GourmetPot, Grill Dome, Imperial Kamado, Kamado Joe, Komodo Kamado, Meteor, Monolith Grill GmbH, Primo Grills and Smokers, Saffire, SnS Grills and Weber-Stephen Products; and unhinged covered metal kettle charcoal grills from Weber-Stephen Products, Char-Broil and many other suppliers.

[0030] Having thus described preferred embodiments of the present invention, those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that the teachings found herein may be applied to yet other embodiments within the scope of the claims hereto attached. The complete disclosure of all patents, patent documents, and publications are incorporated herein by reference as if individually incorporated.