Abstract: A charcoal dispensing system for storing and dispensing charcoal. The charcoal dispensing system includes a bin member being designed for receiving and storing charcoal. A dispensing assembly is coupled to the bin member. The dispensing assembly is designed for permitting charcoal to be dispensed from the bin member when the dispensing assembly is actuated by the user. A receiving member is selectively coupled to the bin member. The receiving member is in communication with the dispensing assembly whereby the receiving member is designed for receiving the charcoal dispensed by the dispensing assembly. The receiving member is designed for being carried by the user to dispense the charcoal into the grill.

Abstract: A lighter includes a casing with liquid gas received therein and an igniting member is located in the casing for igniting the gas released from a light hole in a top of the casing. An activation piece is pivotably connected between two walls of the casing and a cap is connected to the activation piece and engaged between the two walls of the top of the casing. A stop is located at an edge of the cap and contacts an edge of the casing to prevent the cap from being pushed before it is slid to skip the stop from the edge of the casing.

Abstract: A decorative cake protector (1) for use on a cake (2) is disclosed in which the protection includes a shield (5) for protecting the cake from the residue or debris of at least one burning device (16,17), a support (16a,17a) for holding the burning device above the cake; and a decorative theme piece (10) mounted above the shield. The decorative cake protector preferably includes a stand (12) to space the shield from the cake surface.

Abstract: A portable gas-fired cook stove is provided with readily assembled and disassembled legs, which facilitates shipping and storage of the cook stove. The legs are fastened to the stove body through a simple but very strong connection, which is capable of supporting loads well in excess of the weight of the cooking pot, food items, and cooking liquid. The cook stove can be disassembled and packaged with a nested cooking pot in a reduced-volume carton to reduce the space occupied by the carton during shipping and display.

Abstract: A windproof lighter is provided having an inside unit and an exterior case. The inside unit has an interior chamber, a wick, a flint, a flint position apparatus positioned in the interior chamber, a flint wheel, and a chimney. The lighter has a disposable fuel cell containing lighter fuel. The fuel cell is designed to fit within the interior chamber and to not interfere with the flint position apparatus. When the container is to be used in a windproof lighter, it has an opening that receives the wick. The wick extends into the interior chamber and has a component that is larger than the opening so that when the container is properly positioned within the interior chamber, the component secures the container in position and prevents accidental spillage of the lighter fuel.

Abstract: A solar collector array is formed of multiple parallel rows of solar panels, each said row being made of one or more building blocks with an east-west oriented torsion tube defining an east-west axis for the row, an array of flat generally rectangular solar panels, and a set of panel rails and rail claims attaching the panels onto the torsion tube. A row of piers aligned on the east-west axis each have a footing that is supported in the earth, and a pier cap affixed onto a top end of the pier. The pier cap holds the torsion tube non-rotationally such that the torsion tube and panels are held at a preset elevation angle. The torsion tube may serve as a conduit for power conductors from the panels.

Abstract: In a standard lighter, a flame is obtained by rotating driving wheels of a striker wheel onto a spark stone. A pair of brake discs are mounted on an axis of a wheel assembly. Each of the pair of brake discs has a same diameter as that of the driving wheels. The pair of brake discs rotate freely relative to the driving wheels. The axis is loosely mounted in mounting slots and can move vertically. A gas release lever has a pair of extension portions placed beneath the pair of brake discs to interrupt or stop rotation of the pair of brake discs. To rotate the driving wheels, a considerable amount of extra force is required to overcome frictional force on the pair of brake discs, and would reduce a risk of fire damage caused by a child's inadvertent activation.

Abstract: A portable cook stove is provided with a cooking pot support having upstanding peripheral tabs at a peripheral portion thereof. When a cooking pot having an effective pot diameter at or less than an effective inner diameter of the tabs is employed, the cooking pot support can be oriented so that the upstanding peripheral tabs are directed upwardly creating a guard against slippage of the cooking pot with respect to the cooking pot support. Conversely, when a cooking pot having an effective pot diameter greater than the effective inner diameter of the tabs is employed, the cooking pot support can be oriented so that the peripheral tabs are directed downwardly and do not create an obstruction to using the larger cooking pot.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hybrid high pressure catalytic combustion burner employing catalysts and CST combustion with staged mixing systems, in which a primary combustion gas containing reacted gas of a primary gas mixture, which is formed via catalytic combustion, is subject to a secondary mixing with the primary gas mixture containing fuel and high temperature air, completing stable high temperature CST combustion at ultra lean conditions, thereby achieving high temperature combustion reducing formation of NOx.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a cabinet, defined by at least front, side, bottom and back panel portions, a pair of laterally spaced end caps provided at an upper rear portion cabinet, and a range top mounted upon an upper portion of the cabinet. At least two sets of alignment components, with each set of alignment components being defined by cooperating first and second sets of alignment elements, are provided on the end caps and range top respectively. When the range top is mounted upon the cabinet, the sets of alignment components become interengaged to automatically, laterally center and mount the range top with respect to the cabinet.

Abstract: A cleaning fluid heating reservoir and motor assembly for a range hood having a motor housing enclosure mounted within the enclosure defined by the hood body. The heating reservoir is shaped and dimensioned to be in abutment with the motor which in turn is mounted within the motor housing. The reservoir may occupy space between the top of the motor and the hood body, between the perimeter of the motor and a fan attached to the motor, or between both. Conduits connected to inlet and outlets to the heating reservoir pass through side of the motor housing to an intermediate reservoir located within the range hood body. Fluid from the intermediate reservoir is pumped to the heating reservoir and back to the intermediate reservoir thereby drawing heat energy from the motor when in operation. Cleaning fluid may also be pumped from the intermediate reservoir to areas requiring cleaning.

Abstract: Provision of a low-NOx burner allowed to further reduce NOx only by structural design of the burner in comparison with prior art. The low-NOx burner comprises a main nozzle 13 for injecting a premixture formed by mixing fuel and an oxidizer, and a secondary flame-holding nozzle 12A for making a premixture or an oxidizer impinge on the premixture injected from the main nozzle 13, in a direction at an approximately right angle to the injection direction of the main nozzle 13.

Abstract: A multi-oil fired furnace having a heat exchanger that extends rearwardly of the combustion chamber and utilizes laminar air flow around the combustion chamber to minimize the width and height dimensions of the cabinet shell for the furnace. The heat exchanger includes an exhaust header having a central opening and a cluster of concentrically arranged exhaust tubes connected to the combustion chamber. A vertical baffle forces the flow of air through a central opening that is concentric with the combustion chamber into a group of horizontal baffles directing the air into a generally laminar flow pattern against the outer surface of the combustion chamber before being discharged from the cabinet shell in a selected one or more of three possible directions. The fan control switch is mounted on a mounting plate that is welded to the combustion chamber to provide a planar contact surface for the switch mechanism.

Abstract: A hotplate, such as a plate of vitreous ceramic, intended to equip a cooker having at least one gas burner, includes a raised zone intended to cover the gas burner. The raised zone includes orifices.

Abstract: A gas grill burner apparatus is provided that fits within barbecue grill cooking chambers of varied configurations and sizes. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a gas grill burner apparatus includes a center manifold configured to form two hollow gas tubes, the gas tubes being substantially parallel. The gas grill burner apparatus also includes first and second C-shaped hollow gas tube end portions slideably engaged within opposing ends of the parallel hollow gas tubes. The apparatus further includes a center grease tent mounted atop the center manifold and first and second telescoping grease tent members mated with the center grease tent. The telescoping grease tent members are configured to move laterally with the first and second gas tube end portions.

Abstract: A torch and mounting system therefor has a cylindrical main glass tube surrounded by a tough and rigid tube. The metallic tube is threaded at each end for receiving compression nuts, each having a ferrule such as an O-ring or a tapered ring inside. Each ferrule is a slip fit over the main glass tube and has an angled surface that butts against the end of the metallic tube. When the nuts are tightened, the sloped surfaces of the ferrules force the ferrules against the main glass tube, thereby fixing it in place within the metal tube. The metal tube in turn is clamped by a mounting clamp which is, in turn, mounted to an adjustment stage for optimum positioning of the torch. A support rail has adjustably mounted thereon one or more strain relieving clamps for holding gas or vapor delivery tubes in place to insure proper delivery of gases and vapors to the torch.

Abstract: A gas burner forces a premixing of the incoming gas with ambient air by moving the front face of the gas orifice upstream from the normal location and spacing it from the front face of the venturi portion of the burner. The premix air is pulled through the gap formed thereby and enters the venturi section with the gas via a central opening. Primary mixing air flows through separate opening(s). Both the gas and the premix air flow through the central opening, and the premix air at least partially combines with the gas before the primary air combines with the gas in the venturi. The combination of the gas, the premix air, and the primary air the routed to the output ports for combustion. Such a burner combusts the gas with an efficiency factor of at least forty-five, and optionally at a rate of at least 30,000 Btu/hr.

Abstract: A portable oven that is volumetrically efficient when in storage configuration and that can be readily assembled without requiring the use of tools. The portable oven is weatherproof and efficiently cooks the foodstuff placed therein. The portable oven includes two lateral sheets or walls members, a lid, two transversal sheet members, a base assembly, a pan assembly, two supporting members for the pan assembly, two grill assembly supporting members and a heat source. Smaller storage sheet or wall members replace the transversal sheet or wall members to form a storage configuration for all the oven components for their ready storage and transportation. The resulting storage configuration uses the same lateral sheet members used in the oven configuration.

Abstract: Gas burner for a cooker, comprising a burner head bounded by an approximately frustoconical peripheral side wall with a small cross section located at the top and including a multiplicity of slots distributed peripherally and forming flame orifices, said burner head being topped by a cover or cap; the side wall 2′ has an angle of inclination &agr; to the vertical of about 10 to 20°, and the bottom 8′ of each slot 3 forming a flame orifice, which extends transversely to the side wall, has an angle of inclination &bgr; to the horizontal of about 20° to 30°.

Abstract: A selectively assembleable and disassembleable grilling device for preparing food comprises a set of substantially flat plates coupled together by a retaining assembly extending between a pair of the flat plates. The plates fit together to form an enclosure and include a pair of sidewalls, each having an aperture. A tubular member is insertable through the apertures and has retaining means at both ends thereof so as to hold the set of plates together and thereby form the enclosure.